Astronomy Sentai Zoranger: Episode Zero
by sentai86
Summary: The 12 celestial lights call out. Choosing the 12 that will save the earth from utter ruin, from an invasion from creatures from the heart of our universe. This is their story. This was supposed to be an introduction to the Zoranger universe as it is tied to another, this was to serve as a bridge.
1. Part 1 It was the summer of 1992

**Part 1 **

**It was the summer of 1992; that was when the world's song rang a dull tone.**

{Opening theme:} Pink Floyd "Time" from their Album: [Darkside of the Moon]}

"Space, was it really life's true final frontier. I can see the lament imagery of the Earth being the womb for humanity. But to few of us humans see the Earth in that same parent/child light.

"To some, they believe... No, they think she has always been just a chunk of raw material, awaiting the proper company who can merchandise, cultivate and monopolized upon it. I feel that we the Homo sapiens don't truly appreciate the truth, that she is a bright blue sapphire in a very vast immeasurable sea of bitter cold darkness.

"I sit here and watch the day's fold one into the other. I can't really say I mind this, although it is a kind of loneliness that gives me feelings of reassurance, with these empty uneventful days it helps to confirm my affirmation; these feelings that have always existed in my heart and I am sure it exists in other peoples hearts too. The truth that we, all humans might truly, really be alone in this vast incalculable universe truly a hard, lonely pill to swallow. But this both comforts and scares me... As I continue to do my research, I've been finding this truth to be less and less unthinkable; that this is fact.

"But maybe, maybe there is still a chance, however slim it may be and on that note, I know that that could only help to serve as a much needed catalyst to finally unify our world and all her people, but on a secondary note. Being more of an after thought really? That, what if? What if we all the places we've looked actually house life, but that we're still too unevolved for them to present themselves to us? That little tidbit of information chills me down to my very core and that makes me evaluate all my actions as if I'm under a microscope.

"I know it must be some delusional paranoia setting in but, it does feel as though someone is in fact, watching us, like the entirety of the human race is a much smaller organism observed through some other observers telescopic lens. I fear, that with the knowledge of extraterritorials of a far greater and knowledgeable power would have presented itself and our global powers. Would realize how small their little squabbles really are. But if my suspicions are true then that, that which maybe scares me the most is not the fact that we've found other intelligence... No, that would be welcomed may times over. No, this rising fear is that maybe the human race, maybe we have run into an evolutionary dead-zone. Run our course and that intelligence has come to 'clean house' so to say.

"Forever, will we be caught without substance? Left to fade into the wrinkles of time without putting up much of a fight? I suppose my own mortality comes into play, when I think of these things. But that is not a discussion I would willingly walk myself into. A woman of my esteemed body of work and privileged life could I really fear the unknown, that there also may not be a place for me after I physically pass from this world. But what a strange subject for one to segue themselves into? Let us leave this recording for later date, this is a problem that we as the human race must finally learn to at the least coop with." Suddenly the door to the woman's office bursts open and a skittish, nervous young man rushes into the room, looking overly exerted about something.

"Professor Hamilton, you hav'to come quick! Doctor Carroll's located another nebula burst!" He found Professor Amelia Hamilton-Carroll sitting behind her laptop fingers buzzing across the small keys. She looks up without out once looking to her fingers as they type away.

"What are you talking about Douglas?" asked the Professor.

"Ophiuchus has picked up another polarize burst there occurring much more frequently and sporadically! A sub-spatial anomaly has begun bursting from the 82-degree quadrant. The anomalies also on the move, gaining more velocity and moving almost too fast for a clear estimated reading!" Professor Hamilton-Carroll stood without word and rushed past her assistant. In all the year her husband and herself had studied the stars. This was the moment they had been waiting for. She rushed out into the main observational deck, where the super telescope sat center stage. Galilee the name of the worlds most powerful telescopic instrument, afore named after space foremost admirer sitting about thirty feet on a suspended tower of additional instruments.

Professor Hamilton-Carroll's husband Doctor Lewis Charles Carroll, who is one of the leading experts in the field of macro-cosmography. He had picked up on a strange star formation just behind the Zodiac Ophiuchus and as strange as that might sound, he was finding that there might be more to this than a simple solar flare or two. It was like a new sub-independent individual organism that could live within the great vacuum of space, though in the most farfetched boyish dreams he hoped, he was catching the first glimpses of a superior race of friendly alien life forms. As the good doctor pulled himself away for a moment he looked down at his beautiful wife as they both beamed with excitement.

A few weeks passed turning into months and the anomaly, well it had continued to flash and recede. Like a playful preschooler playing a game of pick-a-boo. Dr. Carroll, leans back in his observational chair and looks up at the sky through the spacing in the roof. He knew his eyes couldn't possibly make out whatever was going up in the heavens that surrounded the home he had always known. He looked around seeing all his assistance working there themselves to death for something that maybe was nothing more then a simple illusion of spatial gas. He turned to see his wife overlooking the latest print outs from a sister observatory. Lending whatever help they could to his project. 'Amelia, someday. Somehow I'll repay you 100 times over for the patience you've given me. This I make a silent vow, I won't let your sacrifices go unheard.' as she looked up from the stack of pages and he childishly smiled wide at her. She smiled and laughed to herself. Slowly the day trudged onward as they usually do and Dr. Carroll kept a vigilant eye towards the sky. As the time rolled around 3:30 he felt a gentle touch caress his back he shivered as he leant back to see Amelia carrying two hot cups of coffee.

They sat outside, atop the observatory resting comfortably on her telecommunication satellite. Lewis lay facing the vastness; Amelia lay curled up next to him. He held on to her with one arm and in the other held his cup, chilled by the outside air. "Amelia?" said Lewis as she took her face from his chest to look up at him. "I know this will probably sound like a broken record but is this what we've waited for? Is this really all we get? Our first observations of a possible alien race and I missed it! We've seen nothing and it's been four months!" Amelia blinked, as words couldn't find meaning, not in a way that could comfort her husband.

"I can not spend my entire life waiting for another chance. Amelia, I think I'm going to give up my research." this came as an unbelievable shock. Amelia almost jumped when she heard him.

"Lewis, no! You cannot abandon all this time and effort. You've put so much into this. You cannot just up and walk away from it all." he gently pulled his wife back down and held her in a warm embrace.

"'Melia... I beginning to see that this was all just a childhood fantasy that I wanted to come true. But I have to let this go. I don't really need some atrociously ugly award, I have you and I should have done this along time ago... I've thought it through. Do you remember that University that asked me to lecture on Spatial Mathematics; well I finally called them back. And I start classes in one month... Now, before you go in a most justified ranting about how I should stay here and finish what I start blah, blah, blah. I've decided to do this, because you deserve to have the family that I promised. We both wanted for each other when you married me. I know I can't hold back the hands of time. So, I want to devote all my time to you from this day forward." Amelia began to cry as she fought her hardest not to try and change his mind. Lewis was a very stubborn person when he's made up his mind about something and she was overcome with happiness but was it at the cost of his other love?

A few more weeks past by and Lewis was doing the finishing touches on the last hypothesizes. For any future macro-cosmologists that might decide to pick up where he was now leaving off. Amelia watched him scurry about as she sat in front of one of the station monitors. Endless updates scrolled by as the program was set up to do. A seismograph could also be heard as it monotonously ticked away much like a metronome. Lewis stood up and stretched himself, letting out a great groan that echoed throughout the enormous room.

"I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this whole mess. I've far too many papers to finish before I can begin my lectures. I'll be finished with these well into my retirement from the college!" Amelia laughed but Lewis gave her a very serious look, which didn't stop her from laughing even more.

"It's makes no difference to me Lewis. You're the one that set up this schedule... Not I, you should have given yourself more time!" the sound of seismograph halted as it's sound became much more faster. Amelia turned to see it was jutted to one side of the paper. She walked up to it as the little arm flicked all over the graph.

"Lewis? There's something peculiar going on?" Lewis walked over to the one keyboard and looked over the data running by his face. A smug smile came over his face as he ran over to the railing and looked about ten years old.

"That will teach those bastards at the U.N! Now this is the proof we need, now we can finally!" Doctor Carroll was abruptly cut off by the sound of severe radio static as it silenced all other noise with its piercing screech.

"Doctor! ... Professor! ... There's something... else!" as the monitor Doug was standing in front of explodes. Sending the man soaring back into one of the many supercomputer towers. Amelia runs over to her assistant's side.

"Doug! Doug!" she screams over the deafening radio noise and just as suddenly as it came it vanished. Though no one could tell yet from the reverberating sound that continued to haunt them still through the depths of their eardrums. Amelia looked up, "What the hell was that!" and for one last time she saw her husband's weary smile. A bright flash enveloped the room and for what seemed like an eternity Amelia could not see a thing. But the taking her sights place were the sound of twisting and screaming metal, just as her vision finally returns she sees the central telescope was beginning to bend. The telescope shifted its immense weight, while letting gravity do all the work and for the very last time. Amelia saw her husband his body probably did not even have time to register anything that was happening before he was pulverized. Impaling the optical piece right through Doctor Carroll's chest. As it plummeted the forty feet and what really took only seconds felt so much longer and with the force from its weight the rest of the good Doctors body exploded like an overly ripened tomato. Blood splattered all over Amelia body.

Then a sound that would have many lasting impressions, a secondary echo of metal resounded as the large dome of the surrounding ceiling began warping under some intense heat that she somehow was not registering. Some of their assistants scurried around the room as many small fires had begun to erupt all over. Amelia barely had enough time to take in all that was going on around her as the rest of the structure came crashing down on top of her. As the gratings and ceiling fell she tightly hugged Douglas' unconscious body. 'God, Please don't let this be the end... I... I haven't done anything that I've planned. Please give me more time... More time to... To live.' Thought Amelia, as she slowly closed her eyes.

The deafening roar of twisting metal and exploding monitors drowned her voice out. All of a sudden the noise ceased. The roaring, the explosions, they just ceased while a much welcomed silence felt very alien now. Amelia opened her eyes hesitantly as all the chaos continued but now it was as if it as all muted. Then her eyes fell upon an image that as weird as it was did not at all surprise her. Amidst the ensuing destruction a tall, slender man, well, scratch that one couldn't really consider this a man, but for now we'll call it by that name. The man was cover from the tiptop of his head to the souls of his feet with white fur. As white as the first day of winter and his eyes, they were a crimson rose shade of pink. He made his way through the chaos smiling as he adjusted his waistcoat and his very white pair of gloves. A chain of gold hung at his side, he promptly pulled at the chain bringing a pocket-watch out of the left hand pocket. He parted his lips and when he spoke, his voice rang as crystal clear as crystalline glass not too bass and not too tenor.

"My dear, is it more time you seek?" Amelia heard the words but she was too awestruck to realize what was truly happening to her. The man bent down and with his middle finger curled knocked on her head. "Excuse me? Did you wish to have more time?" again said the man. Amelia stuttered out a reply that was, even in the silence barely audible.

"Yes... I want more time..." the man smiled at her answer.

"Then more time I shall give you. You mustn't use this time foolishly. For time is a hard thing to catch up to when you've been overtaken by it. But if you run hard enough surely even you can catch up to time." the man looked at the watch and became appalled by whatever he saw. "Simple enough. You have just not found the right time to go by? Somewhere you are horribly early, others will say you are far too late. But they'll have to speak with me my dear and I say you are not on the correct time. We'll meet again for the party and oh, how that party shall be? You will be ready for the party right?" Amelia looked up in her delirious state nodding her head. "Okay, then!" as he faded, folding space back returning into the nothingness from which he came. Amelia blinked as the sounds overwhelmed her senses again. Believing this all to be an episode of some kind of stress induced trauma. Her world ceased to exist as she became enveloped in the veil of utter and complete darkness.


	2. Part 2 Comatose, a dreamless nightmare

**Part 2**

**Comatose, a dreamless nightmare; Time jumps forward without pause.**

Her eyes open to the pale, sterilized grayish surroundings of a hospital room. She could faintly hear the music of a group she had never heard before as she looks over seeing her nurse dancing by herself as she reworks her frizzled hair in the bathroom mirror. Amelia opens her mouth but nothing comes out, she lifts her hands and feels her face. She feels a ventilator sticking out of her trachea; she hazily looks around seeing an I.V. taped down to her arm. The nurse is wearing a pair of headphones, with the music in her tape cassette player turned up to the max. Amelia was unemotional as she attempted to speak again. Luckily, just then the nurse turns and suddenly jumps; she quickly shuts off her tape-cassette player.

"Oh my lord... Are, are you really awake?" said the nurse as she suddenly bolts out of the room. Amelia looks confused as she tries to sit herself up, she strains, noticing that she has no strength to lift herself. A tingling sensation begins to fill her body as the blood begins to return to its unhampered circulatory track. After a few minutes a small group of doctors came into the room. They carted machines and carried thick stacks of papers. As they force light into her eyes and take her blood pressure.

A few days pass; this gave Amelia time to regain her voice. But not give her enough strength to leave her bed yet. Her room now was filled with doctors, medical students, huddled in her room. "Ms. Carroll, do you know what month it is?" asked the Doctor. Amelia shrugged her shoulders.

"October?" said Amelia as the doctors jotted that tidbit of information down. Amelia felt like a specimen in a zoologist report.

"Alright, I'm going to ask you a few more questions if that is okay?" Amelia again nods her head. The Doctor gently but unemotionally smiled at her.

"What year is it?" asks the Doctor. Amelia thought for a moment and is now slowly beginning to come to her grim situation.

"It isn't 1992, is it?" said Amelia. Some of the doctors jotted more things down on the notepads. Amelia was getting very fed up with it all and couldn't take it one moment longer. "What happened to me? God damn it; quit writing what I say! Tell me what the hell happened to me!" said Amelia as most of the doctor's took a few steps back, but the one next to the bed didn't move.

"As I'm sure you're beginning to realize you have been in a coma. The year is now 1994, you've been asleep for the last two years." said the Doctor. Amelia took in a long breath of air.

"I... I've been... in a... Ca... Coma?" said Amelia as the doctor stood unemotionally by the bed. He kept a lazy eye on her as he began to flip through his own large stack of papers, quickly scanning over the contents.

"Yes, you were admitted on October 19th, 1992. If memory serves me, Today's date is..." as the doctor looked at his watch.

"It's February 24th today." said another doctor.

"Ah, yes thank you. We'd like to run some tests if you wouldn't mind Professor. We'd like to bring in a specialist to check your mental health as well as begin your physical therapy, you'll notice you've lost quite a bit of weight and." said the Doctor as Amelia cut him off in mind sentence.

"What about my husband?" said Amelia. All of the doctor's around her looked at each other with skeptically glances.

"Doctor Carroll, he was killed in the incident at the observatory. Police say it was a nature disaster. The observatory was on a dormant fault line, unknown to all geological surveys for the area. An earthquake destroyed the observatory; you and two of your assistants were the only people to have made it out alive. I'm sorry." but the way the doctor spoke didn't ease her feelings any. She still felt empty, her mind replayed the event over and over in her head. Her fears were finally given that nudge from being a nightmare segueing unpleasantly in to reality.

A few weeks later, she awaits the news from the latest battery of tests that the good doctors felt absolutely necessary. The door to her room slowly swung open and Amelia for the first time, since she has awoke felt a little at ease. Though, he may have been a few years older. She could tell he was still her old assistant Douglas. But the events that happened have left some deep scars with him, some were physical. Six cuts, all still remain clearly visible on his right cheek and neck. The remainders were torments of the mind. He carried in his arms a bouquet of narcissus wrapped in a light blue wax paper.

"He... Hello, Pro... professor..." said Doug in such a shallow voice; she could tell he was trying to hold back his tears the best he could. She waves him to come closer to the bed.

"Doug, how many times did you come visit me while I was..." said Amelia. Doug smiled as he took a seat next to the Professors bed in the empty chair.

"I've been here as often and as long as they'd let me... But, since I'm not your next to kin... I had to wait for a while before they figured it out, that... Well, you know." as Doug's words hit the air, they cut right down to the bone and rang all too true in Amelia's mind. She had no next to kin, her family had all passed away a very long time ago. The last being her father, who had managed the best he could but ultimately he left this world succumbing to his passions, his work during Love Canal. He died from cancer that he had contracted while working for the chemicals company. He was the sole parent in Amelia's life, her biological mother left the both of them for another man just a little after her ninth birthday. Her father passed three years after her mother left them and her life has been in a constant state of anarchy since. Having been moved all over the country to live with her estranged and very distant relatives.

She finally comes to move out on her own and call California her home. She worked her way through studying at the Milikan's school, she hated almost everything about the place but it was better to this way. Out of all the tragedy she finally came to find some glimpse of hope.

It was during her second year of college that she met him, Lewis was working at a local pizzeria part time and he was completely hopeless when it came to the workings of an oven. But his coworkers did not keep him around for his lack of cooking skills. Lewis had the uncanny ability to lighten up anyone's mood. They met and went on a few dates; he even managed to talk her into living with him in his very small, dingy studio apartment. He claimed it had the most wonderful view of the Pasadena. It was the summer of 1982 when Lewis proposed to Amelia in front of the Golden Gate Bridge when they were taking a trip with some of his friends, they were all were in on his scheme.

They married about a year after that, when they had both finished school and started working at a small computer firm in northern California. It was in the fall of 1987, which was also around the time Amelia met for the first time Douglas Kipling, she had gone back to Caltech and quite literally ran into him. Doug was getting an advanced education majoring in computer programming, if she remembered correctly. She was getting her professorate in her same field of study. They met and although they were more than a decade apart, Doug latched on to her and decided to change his field of education, she had inspired God knows what inside him.

"Doug... Do, do you know if Lewis suffered?" said Amelia, his expression turned becoming even more sad looking.

"No, he... Well, I doubt his body ever even realized what was happening, even as it happened. He was completely crushed by the telescope... Mina and Terry tried to save him... but then the ceiling... the ceiling came down and..." Doug became overwhelmed with his own memorize of the past. "I, I was so powerless, after the monitor blew up next to me... I blacked out and... And... I'm so sorry." Amelia could no longer stomach this line topic, it would just end up becoming too much. It was obvious Doug in the few years that followed it hadn't been able to come to grips with it.

"Douglas, what about the... What about all the of our research?" Doug stifled back his tears and cleared his throat.

"Oh, that's right... I brought the news broadcasts... I didn't have much else to do, so I've been recorded the news every evening since you were placed in this hospital. It'll help catch you up on current events. But when I heard that you had woken up... I made sure to bring the new about our instillation." Doug stood and walked out into the hall he came back a minute later, wheeling in a television with a VCR on the self below it. As he pulled a videocassette from out of his jacket pocket, slipping it into the video cassette player. He hit play and walked back to the seat. Amelia waited eagerly to see what had happened, watching the familiar faces of the local news as the theme and logo flash across the screen.

"Good Evening, in breaking news a mysterious earthquake has hit the upper part of the state yesterday as tragedy has befallen the Astrological study that was being conducted on Mount Wilson observatory early last night. Headed by Doctor Lewis Carroll, a leader in the field of macro-cosmos the complex is under mend after the telescope collapsed. Three survivors were rescued out of the rubble and are all are suffering in critical condition." Doug stopped the tape and began to fast forward it, he couldn't make eye contact with Amelia so he just continues to stare at the television set.

"Professor, the other one to make it out was George... but he... he committed suicide about six months ago... I tried to keep in touch with him, he was institutionalized during our psych evaluations. The note scribbled on his room were addressed to the Mad Hatter, his doctor's said he was raving about him coming to get him soon. He hung himself with his pants. But I'm fast-forwarding to the weird thing that happened. You should know about... cause I'm sure you're going to be questioned about it by someone." as he hits play again, the screen showing another similar segment.

"Now, in breaking news... A series of strange electrical storms have been reported across the country." the broadcaster stopped a moment and looked at the camera. Mouthing something to someone off camera. "I'm sorry. Um, let me rephrase this... A group of unique electrical storms have been reported all over the Earth? Really? As far as the former Soviet Union has even reported strange storms appearing over many Russian provinces. Also France, South Africa, England, have reported some being struck by bolts of lightning... Tell us Wally, what makes these storms so strange?" as the camera changes over to show the weatherman who was standing in front of a large map of the country.

"Well, Greg... What makes these storms so strange is that they don't appear to be moving in any of the normal weather formations. Each reported storm has acted in a completely un-meteorological way. The jet streams, trade winds all the typical factors seem to have no part in these very unique fronts." Doug stops the videotape.

"It seems that the project has had at least, one side-effect, shortly after the incident, a great ion flux causing a large rippled to manifest throughout the heavens. Earthquakes, that honestly dwarfs the ones that have struck the state before, by comparison. Was then followed immediately by a the series of celestial manifestations, the storm surges, the majority of the US's power was knocked out across the country, followed by a global black out of all satellites around the Earth for two days and at the height of all this. There were reports of twelve brilliant bolts of lighting that caused damage around the world. But what made these bolts so strange was that they all struck twelve people. That is the most confusing part. I just happened to be visiting my folks when we heard over an old CB that I was pretty close to one of the flash sites. The third in the series, I'd later find out. So I drove over to place to see what was happening. The place was a plethora of radiation! Though they were not all lethal, anyways it led me to a campground. Some family from Illinois, was out here sight seeing when the storms struck. Seems that their youngest, a toddler, was struck by one of the bolts, while he was playing in the camps playground? All of the trees along a few mile radius were burned to cinders and the dirt, it was all transmuted into glass several inches down." Amelia suddenly cut Doug off, she was captured by a particular thought now.

"And... What happened to the boy? If the bolt, could do that to the surrounding ground, then what changes do you think occurred inside that little boy's body?" said Amelia. Doug just blankly looks at her and shrugged his shoulders. "What do you mean?" as she copies his gesture.

"I wasn't allotted that much time to test anything since the area soon was overrun with the place and the people had to air-evacuated. Those lightning bolts put the fear of God in a lot of people. That was about the time the UEDF was formed."

"Who are the UEDF?" asked Amelia, Doug again shrugged his shoulders, he fondled the television remote in his hands.

"The United Earth Defense Force, anyways, someone in their little group recognized me and I was arrested and locked up for a few days." said Doug. "My charges were under investigation, no real, reason was ever given to me other then I looked suspicious."

"Why would they arrest you?" asked Amelia.

"I found out later that Greg had testified that we were doing the experiments that caused this. Those old men in the government were of course paranoid and claimed that Doctor Carroll was a modern day Faust, playing in God's domain. The corralled the University, forced all of the backers into early retirement with the propaganda that mysteriously began to surface on the news, actually in many universal circles we're banned from ever again setting foot near a laboratory." said Doug.

"So, looks like I need to start looking for a new line of work" said Amelia with a smile. Doug smiled, but he knew this was a bad time to be joking around. "Well so be it? I have always wanted to become a clam diver?" both her and Doug share a laugh at the thought.

"Honestly, Professor the project could still go on, in my personal opinion. If not for yourself, do it for Doctor Carroll he would not have let some stupid ban have stopped him." said Doug as Amelia noticing that he was wearing almost the exactly same outfit that he was wearing during the night that they had been watching the stars. "We cannot let whatever happened go unnoticed! The news played it off as some kind of natural disaster. I know there wrong, hell, even Greg knew that they were wrong! He crumbled under the stress of not knowing and drove himself to the madhouse. But, I feel the need to know what really happened? Don't you?"

"Fine Doug, gees, you can be pretty persistent when you want to be. Give me a few days, I need to build my strength up and get myself caught up with the rest of these current events..." Amelia pauses a bit as a nostalgic feeling suddenly catches her. It was the way she used to feel when Lewis and her were going to begin a new aspect of their life's work. She continued with a somber in her voice, "Catch up with everything else that I've missed."

"That's one year, four months and five days, if you wanted to know an exact number Professor." she smiled and gave Doug a weary stare. He took this as his cue and stood up to leave. He set the remote next to her hand bed briefly brushing his hand against hers as he began to walk towards the door. He did not say good-bye as he slowly closes the door. Amelia let's her head drop back letting it hit the pillow that lay under it. She took in a long, lung full of air. Her thoughts running very deep had it really been this long? What else was she in store for her to find out?


	3. Part 3 Calibration

**Part 3 **

**Calibration; the instruments are in hopeful anticipation for the overflowing movement of sound.**

"Now you are sure this is the right address?" said Amelia as Doug looked over the rap sheet of loosely placed names that he is holding in his hands. He looked up and backs down at the sheet.

"Yes, this has to it this time... I mean, who would believe how many Cavanaugh's there are living in Illinois?" said Doug as he looks over at Amelia who is behind the wheel. "So, how are you going to explain this to them?" Amelia looked over to her assistant and gave him an inquisitive look. As their car pulls up to a large farmhouse just a few hours west of the Chicago city limits, bordering right on the Illinois/Iowa state line. Outside the house, a weathered man is driving his tractor along the edge of their dirt road. He is dressed in a red flannel shirt and blue overalls. The man stops the tractor engine and climbs down the tall rig. The two of them stopped their car opening their doors, as they climb out. He walks over towards them wiping his hands on his pant legs.

"Good afternoon folks. Is there something I can help you with?" said the man. They briefly exchanged handshakes, then Amelia caught a small glimpse of a young boys face that is quickly hidden behind the curtains inside the house.

"We've heard about your troubles lately... That is, that your son was involved in one of those strange storms." said Doug, the man looked around as if people were hiding all around the three of them.

"You were not sent here by some damn tabloid rag?! If so, then I have no comment! Especially, what happened during our family trip! Elijah has no special powers; there is nothing different about him! He is a completely normal four year old!" said the man as he furiously turns away from them and stormed towards the house. Amelia and Doug look at each other and quickly follow behind him walking up to the door; they knock hesitantly, a small girl answers, who could not possibly have been older than six years old that greeting them.

"Hello, and what is your name?" asked Amelia as she crotches down to be on the same level as the girl's.

"Her name's Marianne." said a woman who suddenly appears behind the girl. She gently grabs her by the shoulder and turns her around taking her out of the two's view. "I seem to have heard my husband already talk to you? Or am I mistaken? Elijah has no supernatural powers, he is no different than any other child." said the woman. As Doug begins to open his mouth Amelia quickly steps forward shoving her foot in the door.

"We're not from any tabloid... Actually, we're scientists that work for the United Nations. We have come to examine everyone that was even remotely near the phenomena that happened from 2 years ago. This is the United States and the United Nations way of giving a courtesy call to help the families who are still recuperating from any trauma or medical problems that were in direct correlation resulting from the events that occurred on October 19th, 1992." said Amelia, she glances back at Doug whose mouth is ajar.

"We didn't hear about any compensation effort?" said the woman.

"Well, that's because just like the phenomena itself... the general public hasn't been out rightly informed. Because everyone would claim to have been afflicted in some way. But we are here now so if you would please, we drove several hours to find you." said Amelia with a weary smile. The woman's cold exterior shed slightly as she turns and walks into the dining room. Amelia and Doug proceeded to enter and walked into the house very cautiously. The house was very warm and forthcoming, most of all it gave both of them a sense of ease, even with all the tension that they had met with thus far. The woman waved them into the dining room. Where they all took a seat at the table as the woman then goes into the kitchen for a moment. A few moments later, she returned carrying a pitcher of lemonade and three glasses. She poured them each a glass setting them by the person; she took a seat across from her guest. Now, what kind of compensation are we speaking about? Elijah is a good child," she begins to lean in close. Saying this next portion in a voice barely above a whisper, "but ever since that night he has been acting... well, more and more different? He began to talk to himself, but not in your usually way, like the usual imaginary friend. No, whomever he speaks to is a very serious person or thing, since he won't tell me or my husband what he speaks to... who ever it is, it tells him some very awful and frankly disturbing things. Some business about how all the human race is a doomed people, he says that unless he takes up some kind of mantel and defend the Guarnizioni dello Zoion. I hardly believe anything he is even talking about... I mean, all boy's believe that they want to be Superman or Spider-man, but then he began to act strange when certain people would walk by us, whether it was at our church, or in the grocery store... It happened in almost any place we go together really, he gets this 'tickle', he calls it, and some strange vibe and he goes into seizures. I'm actually at my wits end about this whole thing... and it's not like this doesn't run on my side of the family. There have been many cases of dementia but this is different, I can feel it in my bones. This has something to do with that strange storm. It has taken away my little boy..." she pauses a moment and looks at her daughter who is playing by her self in the family room, "Replacing him with some... someone I don't even recognize." Amelia reached across the table and covered the women's hands with her own.

"It's okay. We are here to assist you. I need to ask now, if you would let him come with us. I know that this is a lot to ask of you. But we are just trying to figure out what exactly has happened too. Your son might very well be the key to solve this mystery, at least I believe. He can help save, not only himself but also the many others who have been affected just the same as him. We actually run a small institute for the purpose of helping people in your son's predicament. If you'd allow it, we could make preparations for him to come and we can do a few small harmless tests." said Amelia, just as the husband comes into an ears shot to them. "But of course all will happen in due course. We definitely would not want to upset or divide your family. We are just here to help you and help your son." The woman looked confused at the two of them.

"You work at an institute for others like my son?" said the woman. Amelia knew this woman was smart and she may have just caught on to her fib.

"Well, we are just starting out. Your son will do more good with us then he could ever do living out here. Our school will help him understand the changes that have taken place in his body but, also, it will help us better understand what has happened to him." said Amelia and the woman took a moment thinking over what she's just been told. Amelia and Doug stand up, assuming the worst they begin to escort themselves out of the Cavanaugh's home. They walked without saying a word past the grim looking husband. The little girl waved to the two of them as they opened the front door.

They were getting into their rental car, as the woman begins to make her way barefoot out to them. She walked right up to Amelia and looked her square in the eye. "I'll speak with my husband... I should also mention that after the incident Elijah seems to have grown smarter? If that is at all possible?" then she turns around and begins to walk back towards the house.

"Wait!" said Amelia as she quickly digs in the car searching for something. She stood up seconds later and was holding a scrap of notebook paper, she pulls out a mechanical pencil from her pocket hastily jotting down something. The woman turned as Amelia handed her the scrap of paper.

"What's?" said the woman as Amelia already cut her off.

"That is my telephone number. When you and your husband have reached a decision, please give me a call and let us know." said Amelia as the woman looks down at the paper and turned back around saying nothing else to the two of them. Amelia held a confidant smile as she got back into the car. Doug was already seat belted in when she noticed his semi-irritated glare, she at him and tries to look as coy as possible.

"So, when were you going to tell me we are a school?" said Doug.

"You know, that we don't... Not at the moment. But we will, very soon." as Amelia starts the car and drives away from the casual looking farmhouse. She reached down and pulled the car phone up dialing as best she could while driving, she held the receiver to her ear as she began to call in some personal favors.

Two months later.

Amelia and Doug stand outside the newly furnished Lewis Dodgeson Carroll Institute. She beamed as a proud mother would over some achievement of her child. The building had been constructed thanks in a large part to the McAllen group; the building would be a nice taxable subsidiary to those that held a great deal of influence, the McAllen group which runs a vast amount of the financial and legal workings in locations all around the world. Professor Hamilton-Carroll is now the acting supervisor to a school she ultimately just made up as a way to comfort a parent who needed consoling. But on this day, it also marked a very large turning point in her late husband's research. Opening the way to a much bigger mystery, which at the moment was being escorted to them. She continued to ideally muse over her own thoughts.

Elijah Ridley Cavanaugh, who would have been celebrating his fourth birthday yesterday, but his parents had cancelled any sort of festivities to make the flight out to California. He looked as scared as a child would when arriving to kindergarten for the very first time. Eli desperately held onto his mother's hand as they were escorted into the meeting room where Amelia and Doug were already waiting. The child's eyes spoke volumes of a loneliness that a child at his age should never have to feel. Amelia knelt and gently touched Eli on the shoulder. "Hello, my name is Amelia. What's your name?" said Amelia. The little boy's eyes never left the floor. Very sheepishly the boy finally replies.

"My name... is Eli..." said the boy as Amelia gently smiles and rubs the tuft of his hair. The boy shyly smiles and looks up for a moment, quickly making eye contact with her before returning his gaze back to the ground.

"Well, if you'd please come this way... We have a lot of things to cover and we'd like to show you as many points about the institute before you have to leave." said Doug. As the woman continued to hold a polite smile, she nods her head graciously, not really caring about what he was saying.

"Yes, I'd like that." said the woman. Amelia stood up and they began to walk down the large hallway. They walked a good twenty feet before Amelia's curiosity got the better of her.

"It was too bad your husband couldn't make the trip out with you?" the woman shook her head as they continued to walk.

"Oh, it wasn't that he couldn't make it he just didn't want to be here to see the school." Amelia caught the surprised glance she saw from Doug. But acted like she had heard this reply before.

Now they sat in a sound proofed room, a tinted piece of glass stood between the three adults and the child that was playing in the other room. Eli was playing with a bright red fire truck and a lime green helicopter the only toys that the waiting room had to offer. Amelia, Doug and the woman sat around a small round table. They each had a mug of coffee. They needed to discuss some other matters with the boy's mother. "So you'll be taking care of all of his needs right, he'll be safe in this place right?" Amelia gave her a reassuring smile as she slide across the table a clipboard with a stack of pages on it.

"Everything will be provided for him. We'll make any arrangements for you to visit at anytime you would like?" the woman read over the first couple pages and signed on the appropriate parts. She flipped through another couple pages and looked up at the two of them shaking her head.

"No, it will be much better. In both my husband and my case if we just cut our ties now or should I saw our losses? He's already grown too attached to me. As of now, we're having all the more trouble trying to break it off. We've been ignoring him for the last few months now... I want him to not ever think of me as his mother. My son vanished the night those damn lightning bolts struck the Earth. I think God wants me to give up my son. Plus I can feel at ease knowing that... that monster will never come near my family again. He'll be fine in your hands. So, I have no further worries." as she slide the clipboard back across the table. "Take care of him." Amelia looked puzzled and stands at the same moment along with the woman.

"Take care of him? He's your son... You're at least going to say goodbye right?" said Amelia. The woman shook her head and began to walk to the door without replying a single word. Doug stood and began to go after the woman. "Doug, please don't go after her."

"Why not? That's the boy's biological mother! She can't treat her own son like that!" Amelia grabbed Doug's shirt.

"Did I ever tell you my mother abandoned me? I was nine... she left with her new boyfriend, leaving my dad and me.

Amelia thought back to when it had all happened. It was a Saturday pretty early at that, she had come down in her nightie and half awake saw her mom dressed in a long leather coat. "Mommy where are you going?" asked the young Amelia. Her mother turned and as she slid on a pair of rose tinted glass, picked up a maroon leather handbag.

"Honey, mommy's going away." said her father, Amelia began to walk towards her mother. But was stopped by her manicured fingernails that pushed her away.

"Mommy, when are you coming back." said the young Amelia the woman smiled as a well built man in very tight closes walked up and began to kiss Amelia's mothers neck.

"I'm not going to be coming back. Mommy doesn't need Daddy anymore. I'm through being with Poi Dexter's." suddenly Amelia's father came barreling down the stairs. He was still in his pajamas with a night coat over him.

"Gia, what are you doing?" he asked. She laughed and shoved him back.

"Get the hint Tom. I don't associate with losers like you! I only married your pathetic ass for the money you were making from that stupid book you wrote. But know your bank accounts dried up like you pathetic sex life. I've got no reason left to stay with such a pathetic man. So Febricio here is taking me to Italy with him." Amelia tried to hug her mother but was pushed back. "Stupid little bitch! You broke one of my nails!" as he leaned forward and backhanded her to the ground.

"Gia! That's your daughter!" said her father. The woman straightened up and sneered at the man.

"Not anymore!" said Gia, as the two turned and left, her father ran after them. They continued to fight as Amelia picked herself up of the carpeted floor. Rubbing her cheek, which still stung with the fresh strike, she had received.

"My dad stopped being a father the day she left... he became so consumed with his research." as before she was rubbing her cheek.

"Professor... I'm..." said Doug. Amelia caught herself and snapped out of the moment. She walked up to the tinted glass and looked out across the large empty room to watch the child, she watched as Eli sat on the floor playing quietly all by himself the light from the afternoon sun flooded the room with light. "What are we going to do?" as he walked up to the window, Amelia looked over at him as he gestured his own head towards the child. Amelia looked back a moment to the table, her eyes falling to the clipboard.

"She's left the care of him up to us. We are his legal guardian's now." said Amelia as they both turned and watched the child as he continues to play ideally alone.


	4. Part 4 And so, 9 years pass

**Part 4**

**And so, 9 years pass. A child turns into an awkward adolescent.**

"Eli come on, push it! You can beat this time!" announced Doug over the intercom. Eli leaps over another grouping of twirling spiked hurdles, he passes by them completely unscathed. Landing perfectly, he smirks as he continues to run full boar through the gantlet of robotic attacker. Dodging by their mechanical fists and bolts of energy being shot, this is all just much apart of his training, at least as far as the physical portion was concerned. Along with his bodies' exceedingly high development, what surprised everyone at the Institute is Eli mental aptitude as it seemed to grow at an even faster rate than any other child his age. According to his last placement tests his IQ now had risen by another ten percent placing him above the 200 region.

But his physical training this time was much different than any time previously. The danger level had been increased from the stoic 5th level to the increasingly harder level 7. So now Eli was stripped of his higher thinking and brought right down to relying on his most basic of instincts. He was beginning to lose all his intelligence temporarily to the driving primal desire to survive, which was the core to these drills. So that he would grow more attuned to his body's reactions, tuning them so that he could draw upon the raw power when he needs it.

Jumping he grabs onto a large swinging pendulum of razor-sharp blades as he leaps off as he thrusts his legs forward flying into a couple attack drone that were coming towards him. Suddenly, three more attack drones appeared before him. He readied himself to attack and just as he made the first move they abruptly halted and began powering down.

"Good job, Eli... That's good for today. Professor Hamilton-Carroll would like to have a few words with you. So before you head to your room, go shower and head over to her office. But you did a great job! You should be very proud of yourself today." Eli smiled at Doug's comment. As he took one final punch at the attack drone denting its chest plating.

While he showers he looked over his own body taking in all the noticeable differences that have come to change his otherwise normal appearance. He is fully resenting what nature is doing to him. He knew that adolescence...puberty is in its full swing and the emotions that had been lying dormant inside of him were now beginning to awakening and becoming a driving force behind his unconsciousness. His hands instinctively drifted all over his soapy body, he began to touch himself, feeling an unbelievable shame which was followed instantaneously by an overwhelming sickness that consumed him. It makes his stomach twist with dreadful anxiety.

He leans down and whatever contents lay gestating in his stomach did not stay for long as he threw up. The shower water quickly washed everything down the drain. He looks around ashamed of himself as he continues to touch himself and as he finishes, he steps over to one of the guardrails feeling under it a moment he pulls out a small makeshift knife. Which he made by taking a piece of the same shower railing and sharpened it to his ideal edge. He held it in his hand and slowly brought it to his skin but he could not press it into himself. "Why didn't they want you...it must have been so obvious to them...it's because you are so fucking worthless! You're a pathetic, sick eye soar that no one wants to see and all you seem to do is waste someone else's space!" Eli looks down at the blade then turns to his arm. He just held the blade to his skin, he turns pulling the blade away. In a fit of frustration he throws the tiny blade across the humongous shower and in that same frustration he turns towards the wall and begins punching the porcelain tiles. A small stream of blood runs down the wall as he pulls his fist back, a large crack spider webs through the tile working. He brings his hand up and watches the blood run down his arm.

He steps out of the shower and briefly dries himself as he pulls a T-shirt over his body. As he continues to dress he sighs over his own thoughts that he was just having. He pulled up his pants and finishes buttoning them, he turns back towards the showers and walks back into it. Leaning down he picks up the knife, walking back over to the railing and slides it back once again hiding it. He leaves the showers and the lights automatically began to dim. He turned down the almost blindingly bright white hallway. He clenched his hands, balling them into fists as he began to run down the hall to the intersection where he narrowly missed a woman as she pushed a cart of testing samples. This didn't even faze him as he just continued to sprint down the hall.

At the end of the hall, he reaches a door that reads Chief Director, taking in a much-deserved breath he turns the handle downward walking into the blinding light of midday as it shines though her windows. Professor Hamilton-Carroll spins on the gyros in her chair and faces a squinting Eli. She stands and adjusts her skirt as she holds up a goldenrod folder. "Good Afternoon, Eli please come, take a seat." Eli hated the way she spoke to him. It was like she dumb-downed what she had meant to say treating him like some ignorant child. "I just received this envelope from our schools financial backers. It seems that they have been taken over by another organization, well not really that... They have a new owner, who is coming by later to-day to oversee what we do here at the school, he wants to see our operations." Eli looked at her a tad bit confused.

_'Why the hell do I give a shit or even care who the financial backers are who fund the school?'_ thought Eli.

"But that isn't why I called you up here. I wanted to notify you about the new recru- I mean, a new student that you're going to meet? This file contains her personal information, I'm asking you to review this before you go to meet with her." right then her telephone began to ring and as the Professor turned away from him to answer she slid the file towards Eli, who snatched it just as it began to fall to the ground. He rolled his eyes as he turned to leave. The Professor pulled herself away from the phone excusing her-self away momentarily.

"Now, make sure you are down in the receiving room, by six o'clock on the dot! We're going to be showing the new owners around and they'd like to meet with our star. Remember, six on the dot." said Amelia as Eli shut the door behind him as he closed the door he looked down at the goldenrod folder in his hand. A certain grimace fills every inch of his face as he slowly shakes his head.

The door to Eli's room slides opened as he tosses the folder over onto his bed. He half turns and locks his door. He leans back as the cool metal slowly warms from his body. He rolls his head back and listened to the sound as his neck popped along its usual route. The popping made him feel that all this "training" wasn't a complete waste. He had been briefly updated once on what was actually wrong with him; Professor Hamilton-Carroll said that when he was very young, he was struck by a great source of energy, this energy was so powerful that it could change the very face of reality, at least on a level that we could perceive. That was why his parents gave him up, though he had some reservations about this, they were probably so frightened by him that it was a stroke of luck that he ended up where he is. He walks over to his miniature fridge, opening the door he pulls out a can of cold soda pop, he opens the can as he walks back over to his bed and plops down onto the soft sheets. He reached over and pinched open the metal notches of the goldenrod envelope. Setting the can down he holds the file down letting the contents spill out over his bed. A school photograph caught his eyes; he picks the picture up and looks at the new "recruit", he never believed they'd have the right to call them students. He knew all to well that they weren't an actual school but some offshoot study created by a paranoid government.

But when he looked at the picture he felt the life drain from his breath. His heart began to race and even his hands began to lightly quake, he quickly turned to the stack of pages and began to quickly page through them. Eli realized some time in his third year here that he has an eidetic memory or better put, a photographic memory. He would only need to read this stack of papers once to know the new student. But he didn't care about technical data, he wanted to know something in particular, then a smile grew across his lips as he came to her personal information, scanning over it he lets out a small sigh while running his fingers over the photo as if he was caressing a new lover.

"So, your name's Britney..." as a sudden rush of emotion overcame him, he quickly undoes his pants and slide them down to his feet, next went his boxers. His tongue encircles his lips as his hands begin to fondle his privates. He lightly moans as he imagines her silken body with beads of sweat rolling down the crevices of her ample breasts. Her body swaying with his as they perform sexual maneuvers he'd only seen in the adult channels he'd hacked into. He started moving his fist faster and faster as the image of her in his mind moaned for his love juice all over her tight little body. As he erupted, his body convulsed in a fit of ecstasy as miniature seizures erupt throughout his entire being.

As he rolled onto his side he looked down he saw that all his effort is now all over his pants and boxers, he looked in his other hand and found the photo. Which is now mangled, crumpled up into a small wade of useless paper. He managed to stand wearily and kicks off his shoes, then takes off his pants and boxers. Grunting annoyingly as he pulled off his shirt and walked into his personal bathroom. As he washed the semen from his hands he looked at himself in the mirror, the familiar feelings of hatred began to resurface as he looks at himself; he hated his mouth, his ears, his lips, and especially his eyes. They were a mottle of blue and green with specks of grey throughout them. He usually never bothered to look at himself and this is usually what happens.

He quickly finished cleaning himself up, dropping his clothes into the laundry shoot, he walks over to his dresser. His jaw tightened as he thought about what he had just done. He punched the dresser causing one of the drawers to jut out. "You... are the most pathetic piece of shit ever... Ever!" as he punched his dresser again. He opens the two swinging doors and pulls out one of his many shirts. He pulls it over his head and leans down pulling the drawer that jutted open out. He sits on the ground and picks out a pair of boxer-briefs and a pair of jeans, he stands and pulls them on. Readjusting the pants he finishes dressing, turning he shuts both doors and closes the drawer with his foot.

"I wonder? What she'll be like... I probably won't get along with her. She's probably going to be just another bitch." Eli told himself as he walked over to the bed and sat down. He looked to his nightstand and reached over grabbing a single framed photograph, it was a picture taken five years ago. It was of the Professor, Doug and himself they were in front of the school all looking genuinely happy. Eli ran his thumb over the part of the photo with himself and looked at how happy the other two were.

"They must have given up quite a bit to get this place." said Eli to himself as he leaned back over setting the picture back on the stand gently.

At exactly six o'clock. Eli was down at the receiving room waiting. Both the Professor and Doug were there, also waiting, but they hadn't been there as long as Eli had. Just as the final chime of the school's clock sounded, the doors were opened and coming in quickly walking an arrogant looking younger man. He could not have been much older than Eli, the way that he is dressed though suggested to them all he was much older then he seemed. Amelia's jaw began to sag open as he presented himself to the three of them.

"Good day, my name is Seth, Seth McAllen." as he threw his hand out, in a very businesslike way he quickly shakes all three of their hands and continued, when his private entourage was around him "So this is the Carroll Institute? Kind of a slag of a workspace isn't it? I mean, in regards to what you really do? Eh, Professor Hampshire?" Amelia gritted her teeth. Seth noticed this and arrogantly smiled. "I mean, Hamilton... Hamilton-Carroll. Before we all have the privilege to meet the Australian girl, I need to speak to you." as he points at Eli. "Elroy right? Come with me I have a special request for you! I mean, that is the truth behind my calling you three here...together. So please excuse us, Ms. Hamplander and Doogle, Darwin... Whoever you are." as Eli for the first time saw Doug begin to look pissed off. Then he feels the firm hand fall onto his shoulder. "Come this way." Eli began to be walked where ever it was that this boy wanted them to go. Amelia and Doug just watched as the boy's personal bodyguards stepped in front of them in such a way that hindered them from even wanting to move. They walked a good ways away when Seth began to speak again.

"I personally, could care less about the people that are working here... Wouldn't you agree? But it's been brought to my attention that there is another group who could very much use, I mean, facilitate you. They only ask if you would be so willing to join their little troop, it's for another side project of mine. I just know a boy like you could be great help to preventing the impending threat...well, in reality, you won't even have to worry about combat. You would only be a trained as a...a...a safeguard for the possibility of this foreseeable threat." Seth stops and with his other hand neatly behind his back he turns towards Eli. "But you see...you are our...what am I saying, you are the United Earth Defense's first and really there only choice."

"For what?" said Eli who is feeling very much threatened by Seth, Seth McAllen. In the back of his mind he has his suspicions about Seth, a person who could not be that much older then himself but had come into all this money who is now running all these different subsidiary conglomerates. Eli turns away from Seth and begins to walk back to the others.

"Fine, whatever. Not like that place will be any different then this one." said Seth with a smirk as he stands there a moment musing over some thought he was having. He unbuttons his suit jacket and reaches inside one of its many hidden pockets pulling out a small ruby violent cell phone. He flips it open and quick dials someone, he turns around and begins walking the opposite direction.

"Yes, hello, is this General Bauer? Seth McAllen here... The boy'll be on board, so go ahead and start preparations...just make sure the stationary crews ready with their testing... The Anti-Daemon Weapon, the White Lamb will be moving ahead according to schedule...it is good talking to you...yeah, and you have a wonderful evening." as he closed his phone, with an arrogant smile plastered across his face. "There is one born every minute" said Seth as he tosses the phone into a garbage can as he passes by.

Eli returns to the group, Seth's entourage was gone, "See the snakes left with the salesmen." said Eli. Professor Carroll and Doug were anxiously awaiting him.

Doug slapped Eli's shoulder, "So what did that mini-monger want from you?" asked Doug. Eli paused a moment and looked at the two people who were the closest things to family he had known, then without even a second thought.

"I've been asked to be transferred to be apart of some U.E.D.F's project, the guy said they need a candidate like me there."

"That slimy little bastard." said Amelia. "Eli, you can't leave. We've still so much to do here."

"Like?" said Eli "Really, it'll be a good thing that this girl joins then you two can focus on training her. It's not like I'm actually apart of a team. I'm the schools live mascot slash ginny pig!" then the tension was suddenly broken as a worker walks up to them. Amelia cleared her throat and walked towards the mocha-skinned woman. They briefly exchange handshakes.

"Hello, I'm..." as the woman cut Amelia off mid-sentence she did so while adjusting her glasses .

"The new candidate has arrived. I'm her caseworker Ms. Jennifer Gains. I'd like to take a tour of the facilities if you wouldn't mind." Amelia swallows hard as Doug came right up next to her. They also exchanged quick handshakes.

"Hello, I'm Douglas Kipling. I manage the well being of the children...er, teens. I also can give you a much more personal tour, as I was a driving part behind the schools design." Doug caught the glimpse of Amelia's smile, "So if you would like to get start?" the woman took a step back for a moment and half turns. She let out a frustrated sigh and held her hand out. A brown haired girl walks very cautiously down the long hallway. She carries a backpack, each strap in her hands as the skin on her knuckle were white from her squeezing them as tight as she is. The woman waved to the girl to hurry but she continued at her slow pace.

"Before the tour I'd like you to meet. Britney." said the woman as the girl finally came to the woman's side. Eli notices that her hair is hang over her face covering what she looks like under it. "Britney, aren't you going to say something?" persisted the woman. It took several minutes for the girl to finally say anything audible.

"It...it...is very cold in here." Eli's ears perched up noticing her particular accent. But he quickly lost his train of thought as Amelia couldn't help but break out laughing.

"Yes, I suppose so? Where are you from?" Amelia asked. The girl finally looked up and pushed her long golden brown locks back behind her left ear. Amelia smiled seeing the shy girl mumble something under her breath "What was that?" she asked.

"She is originally from New Zealand, but due to the very untimely death of her parents she's been, um, handed off between relatives." Amelia felt a common bond to her but then Doug stepped forward and announced.

"Well, then let us begin our grand tour!" as they all began walking to wherever it was he planned to lead them. Eli waited and watched as the girl passed by him. She looked at him for a split second before looking down at the floor.

Eli lifted one of his eyebrows and followed well behind the others. _'She may not be a bitch...but she IS definitely got something wrong with her...probably was dropped on her head as a child. Great, that is all we need, a fucking retard!'_

The tour of the facility was in its conclusion as Doug was walking them back to their starting point. Eli sullenly strutted behind the group, finding a wall that he could hold up while everyone else walked back to the middle of the room. The woman looked at her watch and let out a large sigh of relief. "You weren't kidding Mr. Kipling, the facility really should be the eight wonder of the world. It's very large and congratulations with the structures design work." as she crotched down a moment she unbuckled the briefcase she had been carrying the entire tour. "Now. I just need you to sign some paperwork for me." seeing the nervous look on both scientists. "Don't worry it's nothing too big."

Doug swallows hard as he inadvertently looking down Ms. Gains' cleavage. Just then Amelia nudged him in the side as he looked away shyly. She stands just then not noticing and holds out a rather large stack of papers. Amelia had noticed Eli and was still a little upset with his earlier comments. Then a sly plan crept into her brilliant mind.

"Well, everything seems to be in order?" asked Amelia. Ms. Gains nodded her head as she scanned over the documents rechecking if they were the right ones. Then she looked up as if she finally had registered what Amelia had said.

"Oh, yes... other then the paper work. Everything look like it's a go, why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking, it has been a very long day, for you both... Britney's probably tired as you are also more than likely. If you could give me all the paperwork, I'll go over it tonight and sign all the proper places. And I'll fax you the rest in the morning." as Ms. Gains was about to protest Amelia continues, "But it's awfully late to do all this business talk right now." the woman again looked at her watch.

"I suppose that you are right. It's already 10:30... I'll leave the work here and here I'll give you my fax number at the offices." Amelia turned and looked right at Eli. Who looked at her at the same moment as she turned.

"Eli, why don't you show your new classmate where she will be sleeping?" said Amelia as Eli began to roll his eyes and just as she was going to ask again. He pushed off of the wall and walks by Britney. He grabs her by the sleeve as he began to pull her off in the direction of the dorm area.

About a quarter of the way down the hall, just when they get out of the view of the others. Eli stops he is about fed up with her garbled mumbling none sense. He turned around and as quick as a flash pushes her hard against the adjacent wall. "Look! Do you not know how to talk at an audible level! Are you a fucking moron! If you are trying to ask me a question, I cannot answer you, why?" he waited a moment watching her squirm in his arms. She mumbles something as he begins to grind his teeth, lifting her off the wall and slamming her back into it. "Because I can't hear what you are saying!" then Eli suddenly felt very foolish as he watched two streams of tears roll down the girl now flushed cheeks.

"I'm sorry..." she said in a sheepish tone. Eli could hear the strain she was putting into just saying that. His jaw tightened as the image of her crumpled up photograph came to mind. He let go of her shoulders and turned away from her. He began to walk down the hall then stops.

"You don't need to apologize... Just speak up when you talk to me, okay?" Eli turns, he doesn't register it but she nods her head. He let's out a frustrated sigh, "Anyways, now, your rooms that way." as he points to the next intersection, "But I think I'll take you on a little detour." as he turned back around and extended his hand out towards her. She looked at his hand and then up at him. "Well, come on." as Britney slowly takes his hand.

Now instead of him pulling her along, they walk together at her pace. They turned down one of the many intersecting halls and Eli slows to a stop. He looked over at Britney and slightly tightened his grip on her hand. They continue to walk hand in hand. Eli thought it only right to explain his point-of-view on the place, but Britney was not truly as captive an audience as he thought, she was catching very little of what he was actually talking about. She continued to stare down at their, his in particular as his fingers where interlocking with hers. His hands were very warm so much so that her own hands were beginning to become moist. She slowed her pace which caused him to follow. "You... your hands are sweaty?" said Britney. Eli's eyes widened as he looked around, the blood rushed to his face as it now flushed out.

"I'm...I'm sorry?" said Eli as he began to loosen his grip. Which she immediately responded to by tighten her grip. She stepped up to him and pulled him into her, they embrace and Eli for one reason or another seems to loose his footing toppling to the ground. Unfortunately this also brings her down with him as he opened his eyes she was looking right into his. He thought she reminded him of a puppy right at the moment. As he pushed back a large chunk of her blonde bangs fell. "You have very pretty eyes." said Eli. She smiled and began to pick herself up, Eli closed his eyes again and started cursing himself for being such an idiot. But then he felt the gently touch of her lips as they met with his, he cracked his eyes open to see her face so close to his. As they both opened their eyes she leans further forward and kisses his nose.

"I like your eyes too." she replies. Eli blushes as he scrambles to get up.

"Um, I should show you to your room.

The door to her room opens as the automated light flickered on. Eli walks in and sits down on her bed. "It's takes time to get used to this place... I know I've tried for a decade now." Britney walked in and over to the personal bathroom. Entered checked her hair. She walked back out and slipped her backpack off, setting it next to the bed.

"I don't think it'll be hard at all." said Britney. Eli flops back and hangs his right arm over his face.

"I can see you've never had the chance at a healthy home-life."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said as he turned seeing a now angry Britney. "You think it's my fault I can't stay in a place that long?"

"No, it just you could have stayed any of the places you went too. Where as with this place you just don't get to do anything... Especially. If you want to visit the outside, that almost never happens. I get so sick of looking at these pasty white walls. I want to be free to come and go when I please. I don't want to ever be held down by something stupid. I want to be out there!" as he slide his arm, tucking it under his head. He looked over as Britney watched him very attentively. "What?" asked Eli.

"You look so sad..." her words surprisingly cut him down to the bone.

"I... I've always been this way! If you can't deal with it then that's not my problem." as he sat up. "I could care less what a flat chested, depressive twat thinks anyways." Britney looked down at the ground and began to feel tears welling up again in her eyes.

"get out." she said in her soft voice. Eli turned and looked at her with a very annoyed look.

"What? Was that... did I not tell you to speak up when you talk to me?!" Britney's hands were now balling up into fists.

"Get out of my room!" she screamed at him. Eli frustratingly groaned as he stands up and walked over to the door, which opened as he exited very quickly. He stood outside her room a few minutes and listened to her weep. His own hands were now balled into fists as his teeth into the flesh of his lower lip. Upset he turns and walks down the hall.

Standing in the shower the cold water runs over him, his clothes soaked, his internal pain with what looked to have no end. He pulls his shirts off and holds his hand out letting the ice cold jets of water sink down to everyone of his nerves. He looks over and walks to the guards rail feeling under it only a second he pulls out his makeshift knife. "Why can't you be nice? You... You're such a fucking waste! You're the most pathetic excuse if there ever was one for a human being. Grow some damn balls and let's do this. Who fucking cares if some government group wants you... they won't keep you they don't care about you! Not some worthless piece of shit like you." as his own words brought him to tears. He brings the blade down and runs it down his arm. A cold shiver of pain runs over him as he lets the blade slip form his hand, it echoed as it hit the ground. He drops to his knees and watches the blood flow with the water. He looks up and stares at the ceiling as the water causes his lip to quiver, a twisting anxiety fills his stomach as he turns his head. There standing in the doorway was the girl he had just insulted minutes before. She rushes into the shower and shuts the water off. Eli falls back but she was ready and caught him, resting his head on her shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing?" screamed the girl. Eli had a faint smile on his face as he couldn't help but laugh at a time like this.

"I'm sorry the way I treated you... I don't deserve to live." suddenly he felt a sharp strike to the face.

"Don't you ever talk like that! Everyone deserves to be alive."

"Even bad people?" asked Eli, who was still laughing.

"Yes, even bad people... No one other than God decides what happens to us." Eli began to feel dizzy as the anxiety in his stomach turned to disgust. The girls face began to become fuzzy as he began to miss what she had been continuing to say.

"You smell good... I'm... gonna go to sleep... Good night, Britney." as Eli passed out in her arms. Britney began screaming as the bloody water swirled down the drain.


	5. Part 5 Life

**Part 5**

**Life; Restlessly adolescence turns towards manhood.**

Eli stood on a helicopter-landing pad of one of America's multiple abandoned oil islands. A behemoth, that sat in the middle of the ocean that was once used to harvest the crude oil from the deep blue depths. He was wearing a baseball jacket, with the Carroll Institutes personal logo embroidered on the back. He tilted his head to the side as he read the circular sign that hung above a large set of doors. "Anti-Daemon Human Rescue Recover Retrieval Release Redemption Task Force."

"Or better known by the media as Rescue 5." as a man appeared from the corner of his eye. "Hi, I'm Rick Wilson, welcome to Rescue Base!" he yelled over the roar of the helicopter. Rick Wilson was the field leader for Rescue 5. His designated color being red. Rick was an African-American Marine Special Op's member drafted here via request of the United Nations. As so, he was built like the ideal marine, muscular but not bulky, smart but not egoistically so and when you got down to it, unlike most marines Rick's age he was actually an alright guy. "If you'd please follow me! I'll show you around and introduce you to all the other Rescue 5 members." they walked forward and stepped through the doors. They quickly walked through a room that was remade as into an entryway and greeting room for honored guests and bureaucrats. They continued past Sheila, the Rescue Teams ever diligent secretary and headed straight for the elevator. Rick manually closed the doors, Eli noticed that this elevator was a very old and vintage kind the kind you would see in very old black and white 'talkies'. He pulled the cylindrical lever down and with a jerk they descended. The elevator moved at a less than usual rate at least in Eli's opinion, Rick had to have been bored from the numerous times he had rode in this clockwork box. But he turned to Eli and had a puzzled look on his face.

"What?" asked Eli who was getting very frustrated with the utter slowness of the elevator.

"I have a question if that would be alright?" said Rick. Eli got a puzzled look on his face and shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever... What do you want to know?" Rick seemed a tad irritated by Eli's tone of voice.

"Why would you try to kill yourself?" Rick asked in a rather frank and dull voice. Eli throat tightened as he let out a sigh and began to roll his eyes. "No, I mean it. I'm not going to pester you like some school councilor but why would someone of your mind and caliber go and try to do something as stupid as that." Eli couldn't take seeing the disappointing glance in Rick's eyes and his right hand wanders up and instinctively begins to massage his scar through his jacket sleeve.

"I... I..." Eli stuttered as he said in such a way that it was in a whisper of a voice. "I'm not a nice person." although he was suddenly cut off as the elevator came to an abrupt halt. Rick's face winced as they both were forced to endure listening to the unlubricated brakes screech and moan.

"Oh, sorry about that... I forgot what I was doing?" as Rick began to laugh thunderously, not only at himself but also at the situation that they were now in. The two sliding doors opened and in front of them or rather partially above them now towered a very bulky blonde haired man with a tight green athletic shirt on. He knelt down and lends his hand to them both as he pulls them up the four-foot drop they were in.

"You always playing fool Wilson. Maybe we should have assigned Russian for job. We never loose sight of our objectives." as he looked down at the much shorter Eli and winked. A shiver shot down Eli's spine

"Don't start with me Vlad... that's all I need more Russian superiority jokes." as the two men stood silent for a moment before they both busted out laughing. Eli smiled but it was a very hesitant one. As the laughter winded down Rick smacked Eli o the back. "Oh, gee. I'm forgetting everything today." said Rick. "This is Vladimir Romanov." Vladimir took a slight bow. He is the group's quite literal powerhouse his personal records state that he once flipped over a one-ton truck by himself on an occasion when he was aggravated at a bar. He too smacked Eli on the shoulder.

"You'd better keep showing the baby 'round. Just stay away from elevators from here on out!" said Vladimir followed by a hearty laugh. Rick motioned to Eli and the two continued on down the hallway. Eli looked back periodically to see Vladimir at work fixing the elevator that was now stuck. As they continued to walk they were now passing numerous laboratories of all kinds, Eli thought to himself that it reminded him alot of the television show _'C.S.I'_ with all the fancy computers and people in white lab coats. He stopped and watched as an almost hysterical looking Asian man ran about the room, he was picking up flasks here, mixing a small portion and stirring it with a glass rod, next he'd turn and begin paging through a multiple textbooks. Rick knocked on the frame of the door and almost caused a small disaster as the man almost dropped the flask of what was turning into a blue liquid.

"Murasaka~san, sorry to disturb your experiments but I'd like you to meet our new recruit." as the two quickly walked into the lab area. The Asian man set down his flask as pulled a pair of goggles he was wearing up, resting them on his brow. "Eli, this is..." but before Rick could finish the Asian man bowed slightly. Instinctively Eli reciprocated with a similar bow. The man jutted his hand out and they very briefly shook hands, before the man realized he was still wearing rubber gloves.

"It is truly an honor to meet you, I'm Murasaka Souichi... or, Souichi Murasaka? I'm the group's resident physician and Marine expert. I received my doctorate from the University in Oslo, Norway for Marine Biology and just a general doctorate for Marine life. Though, then I continued on with my studies and picked a doctorate in human anatomy from Cambridge and then I picked up my other doctorate from their as well." thought he didn't look it his designation on the team was Blue. Souichi's also the type of person who overly explain himself or something that is in essence very simple with alot of mind numbing blabber. Eli became fixated on his mouth as he began to notice that his teeth were very clean.

_'I suppose he has a little OCD about everything else then too? But wow, his teeth are like one of those china doll faces... That's almost scary how white they are. Wonder if he picked up a degree as a periodontist or maybe an orthodontist? I better not ask.'_ he felt a hand land on his shoulder as he turned his head seeing Rick eagerly smiling.

"So, you gonna tell Murasaka~san you're name?" Eli nervously snickered as he fidgeted for a moment.

"I'm sorry I must have spaced out a moment. My name's Elijah Cavanaugh. So, I hear I'm going to be a part of the new suits development project?" Souichi paused for a brief moment.

"It will be good having some fresh blood on the team. Heaven knows we could all use a little fresh air, not only is it good for your respiratory systems needs but it is also great for the well-being of your thrombocytes and the matters of your diaphragm, not just those things enter your mind that's just the tip of the ice berg so to speak..." as Rick's hand covered Souichi's mouth.

"Well, we're going now but thank you so much for your time Murasaka~san." he nodded his head as Rick pushed Eli quickly out of the room.

"Is he like that in battle?" asked Eli. Rick shook his head.

"No, Souichi is a very focused individual... He may seem scatter brained. But when he focuses on things he really goes all out." They both remained silent as they walked in a spiral all over the place. A few more minutes pass and they finally walked by the personnel's workout room, where there just so happened to be another member of the team who is working out. As they walked in they watched as an athletic woman in bright yellow skin tight attire moves nonstop against four punching bags that were all positioned around her. She was none stop assaulting all four making sure not a single bag would come to rest. Throwing high kicks and a barrage of jabs and hooks. She sweat as she never once turned to see them, she had a look of determination that struck a cord deep in Eli. It was only when Rick started clapping did she finally come to notice that they were even in the room. The woman took one last round of attacks and began to walk over to them as she grabbed a towel and began patting herself dry of her sweat.

"Natalie! I see you're working on your routine again?" announced Rick. "You're gonna leave the rest of us in your dust if you don't quit it." The woman smiled as she walked up, Eli felt the temperature in the room increase more than a few degrees.

"Oh, please you know if you weren't assigned to give the new member the tour you'd be here doing the same thing. So could you stop? Plus, you're making the kid blush?" the woman stated as she looked over to Eli also giving him a wink from her beautiful eyes. She placed the towel over one shoulder and jutted her hand out. "By the way, I'm Natalie Recalue, ranger designation Yellow, I'm the teams reconnaissance and weapons expert." Eli paused a moment and placed her face to memory. He smiled and eagerly returned her handshake.

"My names Elijah Cavanaugh, I'm the new member of the group. It'll be nice working with you." Natalie laughed and as soon as his grip loosens the woman turns around on her heel jogging back over to the punching bags. Without another word she returned to her fighting routine.

"We'll see you at the briefing, right?" asked Rick. The woman waved her hand as she was already back in her previous zone of thinking.

As they continued on Eli hadn't felt much like finishing their previous talk from before, but it lingered on his mind. He really didn't want to think about that night and how rash he had been, he noted that he really did not put much value into interpersonal communication. All that does is creates useless dialogue, I mean sure you learn about the person. But you could also learn about, that the same said person, through the actions they take, watching the decisions that they make when similar group of problems present themselves. In his own opinion Eli felt he was not the suitable person to be apart of something as global as Rescue 5.

The two reached the end of a long corridor, there were no doors on either side of them for quite a while and they had descended a couple flights of stairs at this point. Eli could feel it in his bones that if he had to walk down one more damn flight of stairs he would go crazy. But as they reached the door, Rick placed his hand over a plate that appeared from out of the wall. A beam scanned over his hand. "Please state you name, ranger designation and rank." said a feminine computer's voice.

"Richard Wilson, Rescue Red, Lieutenant General of the United States Marine Corp." the computer took a moment then a set of large automatic locks began to undo themselves. The doors slid apart very slowly and the two stepped in.

Inside the room was filled wall to wall with computer monitors, some elevated and others suspended. With hundreds of technicians frantically keying away from behind their complex equations. In the center of the room stood two people. As Rick and Eli walked down another set of small steps. The two people turned and with emotionless faces saluted Rick, he returned their salutes as Eli tried to keep up with everything that was going on. A man dressed in a black and gold uniform took, a large step forward and grasped arms with Rick. They shared a wordless nod as he then stepped in front of Eli. "Good to have a new candidate aboard. I'm Brigadier Major Nathaniel Collins of her Highness' Royal Navy." Eli began to salute but Nate waved him to put his hand down. "Their will be no need for such formalities, you can call me Nate or Mr. Collins, but that in my opinion is my fathers name." as he cracked a smile breaking the ice a little.

"Attention!" shouted the other, a woman dressed in similar attire with the exception that the color of gold was replaced by a rose color. "I am Lieutenant Commander Tabitha Blaire also of her Royal Highness' Navy." Eli could feel himself very outclassed with these very extraordinary people, he felt himself shrink a tad in his own skin as all the technicians had stopped and turned to look at him.

"Hello, my name's Elijah Cavanaugh. It will be really be an honor to work with such fine individuals as you all are." he said with a hint of hesitation. The woman turned on her heel and returned to watching some information scroll by on one of the larger suspended screens. Eli felt a pat on the shoulders as Nate gave him the old thumbs up.

"Eli, if you wouldn't mind. I need to have a word with Major Collins. You can find your way around okay without me right?" said Rick. Eli nodded his head slightly.

"If you want the mess hall it's open 24/7 around the clock. Provided you have money for the old battered slot machine." said Nate with a smile. Eli left the room and the doors closed quickly behind him. He leaned up against the door and let out a hesitant sigh.

"What have I gotten myself into?" as he slides down the door and rests on the ground, he brings his legs up to his chest and his arms around them as he let's out another long sigh.


	6. Part 6 The beast

**Part 6**

**The beast that tried to swallow the world.**

Eli stood leaning up against a pay phone that was on base, where he was relocated for the research he was now a participant in. "So how are things on base?" asked Amelia. Eli had now long since been off the Rescue 5 Marina Base. He was exclusively excluded from Rescue 5's activities, henceforth he had been reassigned exclusively to R&D division and relocated to a place far and away from anyone of thing that would care. But he reminded himself daily that this was mainly the reason he was brought in to the group in the first place.

"It's good. Kreach isn't such a bad place. The food sucks and I hate the people running the Research and Development program, but what can I do? It's not like back at school, you guys never forced any of this stupid protocol down my throat, at least not anything I couldn't handle. I'm starting to think I really miss all you guys." He heard what he thought was the stifling of tears but he wasn't about to go on and say anything, since he wasn't completely sure. "So how's the old Doug doing?"

"Good, oh Britney's become a huge help around the school. I can't believe tomorrow will mark her 2nd year living here and so how much longer will they need you? The school really hasn't been the same since you're not here. I've come to think of you as my son. If that doesn't put you off too much." Eli felt a little bit of himself tense up and he wiped away some dust that was in his eyes.

"Yeah, well I guess that wouldn't be too far off if I said you were my mom then huh?"

"Oh, by the way... I want to tell you that we have gained three more candidates. One is a girl from Spain her name's Theresa, there is also one from Albania his name is Manar and the last is a very polite girl from India her name is Lawan and she is very lovely girl. They all are very nice most a few years older than you and Britney but... Oh, wait a moment... Yes, you can talk. Britney would like to talk to..." as Eli could hear the phone being passed about.

"Hello? Eli?" and just from hearing her voice Eli felt his heart skip a beat. "How have you been..." silence was what Britney received.

"... hey... Hello. Um, I'm good. So I hear you've been a tremendous help." he heard her laugh and couldn't help but laugh a little himself.

"Yeah, well I'm just doing my part. Did you get any of the e-mail's that I sent you?" said Britney.

"Yeah, I got them... But I've been so busy. I haven't had enough time to write back, I'm sorry." which in truth he did have plenty of down time. But every time he sat down and thought about writing her back he didn't know what he should even talk about or better yet, how to say how grateful he was to someone that saved your life.

"Oh, I know... I figure with all that technical stuff you're involved in and with you're helping the Rescue 5 Team out... You know, I can't believe how much I see them on the news... I swear it's every night, pretty much all the time. But I never hear anything about you? Your doing them a big favor it's too bad you can't get on the news too."

"Well, that's because what I'm with hasn't even been introduced yet. I'm..." then over the line there was some kind of noise. Like she was having another conversation with someone he didn't recognize.

"Okay, well write back to me. I mean it, after we get off the phone get to any computer that's got the internet, Ethernet whatever and write me a billion page e-mail telling me all the boring details what you are doing, okay? Oh, the news is on... Rescue 5's just come on again... What? It... it... It looks like they've beaten the Daemon! Oh, but seriously write me back I miss you. But I'm going to go watch this and don't forget to write me an e-mail or else! I love you, bye." and before Eli had time to even think she had already hung up the phone. The shock of hearing the three infamous words shook him to his core. Even more than that was the news she had said just before that. He hung up the pay phone a subtle smile was etched across his lips.

"I love you, too." he whispered as he bolted, running full speed back towards base. He checked in and ran to the closest television he could find, which was in a large common room next to the workout center, he ran into the room. Two guys were playing ping-pong and another was mindlessly playing a version of solitaire but with a game of billiards. Regardless he leapt over the commons old maroon pleaded coach that was right in front of the television, he grabbed the remote off the small end table and stood in front of the television in a concerned mindset, he began flipping through all the major news channels until he finally found something on one of the local news stations.

_"The Super Rescue team, Rescue 5 has vanquished the threat of the Daemon. Seen here on one of our sister networks a first hand video of the battle in a small town on the coast in Washington state as the team cripples the diabolical threat once and for all! This newscaster is glad that we have Heroes like these on our side."_ Eli turned off the television, his legs gave out as he plopped down on the coach, he sat in contemplation mulling over the information, really letting it sink in. His face suddenly burst out with overwhelming joy, he leapt from his seat and to his feet running throughout the room screaming and hollering all the way down the hall.

"YES!" was the only word that left his lips for the next couple minutes as all he could do now as he ran back to his dorm. This sudden turn of events the knowledge that he was more than likely going to be going home and very soon at that. Not that the world was saved, that idea was much too great to even truly comprehend, no, his mind's focus went entirely onto one place, onto one girl in particular and the only place he had ever even known or truly could call home. He was going to be finally getting the chance to go back there after his two yearlong stint away.

Well, a few weeks go by and he still desperately would await the call or a messenger because he was in hopeful anticipation he knew that the threat is gone, heck the entire world knew now the threat is gone. But why haven't they been given the word. Why isn't everything okay? He began to hear people rushing by his room. He was beginning to get nervous and tad worried. He got dressed and opened his door. He saw that the halls were empty. He just then began to hear a familiar rumbling as he instantly knew where he should go to see what the buzz is around base. Moments later, he was outside with the rest of base. Watching as a large helicopter made it's final preparations and was finishing it's landing, he was one of the last people he thought to get out here, as the Rescue 5 team came walking out of the back of the helicopter. They looked exhausted and completely worn out in there entourage hovering between Natalie and Souichi, a box in someway it resembles a technically advance coffin from a bad sci-fi novel. Eli made his way up to greet everyone, but he was a little taken back by their dreary drained faces. But he couldn't waiting, that would spell time, time in which he could be on his way back home. "Hey Rick, so what's the word? Why haven't we been able to leave yet?" Rick looks solemnly at Eli and gestures his head backwards towards the box that was with them.

"I don't think we'll ever get the chance kid because of what we have in that box. We've only incapacitated the leader of the Daemon, Prince Kierka." and for those that are wondering, Prince Kierka was the ruler of a group of Demons that terrorized the Earth over 6,000 years ago. Their plans were ultimately thwarted by a group of magicians, a group proclaiming themselves Shaman. Well, a few years ago, the remnants of these very same Daemon suddenly re-awoke to our modern era and they decided that they were going to try again and take back what in their words was rightfully there's. After a while, the United Nations in a state of utter chaos and confusion having no idea on what actions they could take. Enlisted one Doctor Henry Anderson a specialist in ancient civilizations and mythology, who chose the very best of the best. He employed other means, some have stated self-replicating nanotechnology and bio-infused mechanics to create living hardware and of coarse this was all gratefully funded substantially by the bureaucrats from the UN to form what is now Rescue 5.

"What? Why are you keeping him alive?" asked Eli. "Isn't he some demon who wants genocide for all humans? Why are we risking our safety to watch some glorified mummy popsicle!" Rick turned and smacked Eli with enough strength to knock a few teeth loose.

"We have our orders!" said Rick in the most unemotional voice Eli had ever heard. "We're ordered to incapacitate and deliver said demon and rendezvous him to this location. I'm sorry. But looks like you're going to have to stay on board a little longer." Eli slowed his walking pace and watched as they continued towards one of the three main hangers. He turned around on his heel and kicked at the ground.

"I hate this place." as he began running back towards the dorms.

That night, while everybody was partying in celebration over the defeat of the world's enemy, Eli sat leaned against the corner of his bedroom wall. His knees again pressed up against his chest. The computer the Rescue 5 team had bought him as an early birthday present it lay open next to him. He had just finished writing Britney the first of a series of e-mails. But for know he had been staring at a picture for the last four and a half hours, it was a picture of staff at the institute and it had the new members that had just recently joined. They looked like they were nice enough, though he noticed Doug and the Professor were looking a little older, must be stressful there. Though he must have changed just as much, his 15th birthday wouldn't be for another couple months. He felt old, and not in the ironic sense like all teenagers suddenly come to realize when they realize they need to grow up, no, this was more true. Since long before this moment, obviously long before the capture of Prince Kierka, Eli was being drilled harder and harder every day. He was beginning to have a rising suspicions that he is quite possibly being drugged in some way. Could they be using Steroids of some kind? Though, that would be the most effective means to improve ones physique this was probably not it. No, the scientists would not try and risk endangering his still growing body for the simple sake of physical power and especially not for these stupid tests.

But maybe they would, what if he was only that. He was only a test for a new system that was in development? What if the true goal of all this was to turn out some silly research data could the other Carroll students also be in line to be used to make a mindless hoard of viscous killing machines, the thought of a super soldier crossed Eli's mind on more than a few occasions. What if the UN having this new super soldier decided to flex it's own political muscles with this new brand of super soldiers? This would all mean a turn in the opposite direction, a heading back into the days of the Nazi-like regime. Eli was being overcome with a feeling of sickness, utter disgust to his own ill thoughts. No one would do such things not in this day and age. It was completely unthinkable not to mention boarder line insane and going against so many of the laws established by the former League of Nations.

Then a feeling, like a ripple in water hit Eli. It was not at all physically effecting him, the change or challenge if you would was of a mental kind like another persona was trying to force its entry into and overcome his own. Then, he began to hear a voice it was hoarse, his thoughts drew to a conclusion like a person down in a deep well. It sounded far away and was so probably from the screaming the person had attempted but it was like the voice was a person next to him whispering. _'Can anyone hear me? Can someone help me. I fear that I am lost, I am alone and I am afraid. Please someone help me?'_ Eli could hardly believe himself. But he tried to feel for the person calling to him, something he could latch his psyche onto and in his mind he called back.

_'Hello, can... Can you hear me? Who are you? Where are you?'_ the voice remained silent a moment. Eli began to think that maybe he was loosing his mind.

_'I cannot tell you, for one, I do not know and the other the one of who I am, you may not believe me?'_ the voice received Eli's laugh as he shook his head in disbelief.

_'Oh, let me guess you are Jesus Christ and this is my chance to become a good christen after my failures... Even after my failed attempt at suicide.' _again there was no reply for quite some time. Eli was beginning to feel very tire, when reply finally came back to him.

_'Who? I know no such Jee-zus Chris-tah or whomever that is? But please and inquiry is in order, what could overcome of person especially of your talents to want to die?'_ Eli was just outright annoyed with the voice in his head now.

_'What talent? Just because I can hear voices in my head? That's not a talent of any kind this is possibly insanity? Provoked by too many nights watching porn and eating far too much sugar.'_ the voice finally broke the silence with a swaggering laugh.

_'I've called out to every single soul within a five mile radius... Your soul is the only one that can hear my thoughts or to be more true our spiritual waves link to one another. Let me inform you there are not too many people who have the mental strength to speak with a person of my stature and prowess. So please, if you could only indulge me and keep me from boredom. Would you try and assist me?'_ Eli quietly thought to himself. A part of him screamed to not trust this voice, but whoever listens to the conscience anyways?

_'Sure, why not? I'll try and help you?'_ thought Eli.

Eli ended up over in one of the old hangers bays, in one that had been abandoned for the betterment of the base's knowledge. It housed many old worn out engines, broken down parts and even quite possibly some spare parts if one looked carefully enough, although mostly everything in here was just a pile of discarded junk. As he entered he fondled around in the darkness along the walls, his hands searched for some kind of switch, then eureka he opened up what somewhat appeared to be a fuse box he swung open the large panel door and tried some of the switches. Many of which were dead probably burned out that was the first several, then as his hands neared the bottom. A solitary light that hung about three hundred feet high somewhere in the lost ceiling suddenly came on. The light was dim, but it was all he would need. As Eli made his way through the piles of broken parts, his foot slipped on a puddle of oil from a half torn apart airplane engine he caught and from then on was more careful about where he placed his feet. Noticing a large utility cord about three inches in diameter it was lying on the ground, a faint blue light illuminated from its small transformer at several foot intervals. He stood up and followed this cord, it looked far newer than anything else in the room and it indeed lead him straight to a piled up group of engine parts as he walked around it he saw something and this made his jaw begin to sink.

The utility cord he had followed ran right to the coffin shaped device that the Rescue 5 team brought back with them earlier that day. Could it be? That the one that was reaching out to him was and is the one and only... the Daemon Prince, Kierka and he was asking a human for help? _'You're... you are Kierka?'_ no answer came from the voice. _'Answer me! God damn it! Are you the Demon Prince Kierka or not?!'_

_'Yes.'_ finally said the voice_ 'I am Kierka, High Lord Sovereign of the Daemon. Does this change your opinion to help me?'_ Eli began to turn around.

_'And why shouldn't it? From what I hear, you are trying to obliterate all of mankind. Why? What would killing all the humans do? Do you want to have this big world all to yourself. Why? That's sounds much worse then living in the world now. Like everyone is gone and all you would have for company would be you that sounds to be an awfully lonely place, if you ask me?'_ Eli partially said this out loud.

_'I was... I was doing it for the one I held dearest to me. I would have destroyed countless worlds for her sake... It was all for her sake so, so we could be together unhindered by what everyone else thought and wanted. All I wanted was a world where I could love her... My Wilina and to have a world where our love could grow and blossom, like the flowers of the great sphere. Is that so wrong?'_ Eli turned back he looked at the coffin feeling a deep-seated anger that was growing from inside his very soul. It came almost out of nowhere for him.

_'Was it wrong? Yes, it is wrong! So what if you fell in love... people or daemon must fall in love all the time. So who cares! So what you found someone? You think you're special, you think just because no one understands you, you need to wipe an entire world clean. Free yourselves from restrictions, obligations, you're so much stupider than I thought you were. Where do you come off thinking just because you're not understood you need to kill innocent people. Those people must have loved too, but I suppose you never thought of that. It is selfish to put only your needs ahead of everyone else's. _

_'There are more things at stake in this world... There are more things in this world that you just disregard as trash or unwanted. You know what fuck you, you know that. Fuck you. No person, nor daemon or anyone! No one has the right to make decisions for anyone other than themselves. You cannot just sacrifice others just to make your own ideals shine. You, are one of the most arrogant selfish kind, you are a bastard... Not in the marital sense of the word, no you are a bastard because you are too ignorant to what is going on around you. You are a bastard because of that selfish ignorance the kind that children have... The kind that selfish people have when everyone's turned there back on you. The problem with people like you is you do not see that there are better answers out there... You just have to keep trying. Not everything works but to keep trying that is the most anyone can do and to follow that I will not help you. Yes, my minds is made up about it. You have no right. You have no fucking right to play god with people!'_ as Eli left the hanger he shut the light off and closed the hanger doors behind him. After this the voice of Kierka never again made another attempt to contact Elijah Cavanaugh.


	7. Part 7 Reevaluation

**Part 7**

**Reevaluation; Looking to the brick wall for answers.**

One more year, slowly passed as Eli had grown yet again. He was now a stable member of the Rescue 5's side project, though the threat of the Daemon had disappeared the project was still trudging ahead, on a very erratic schedule too. Eli was in an actual suit now. He suited up for three hours, which he was made to run preliminary tests on the suits current payloads, which not only meant in the area of strength but also of endurance, stamina and the overall recoil of wear on the user. They also were checking its times during activities of stress both good and bad. Next, they usually went into a battery of testing using the auxiliary devices that were going to be used in the hypothetical but reasonably realistic combat situations with the full intent of possible real time combat. The scenario's written up were well with in the realm of realism, even more so that they seemed all too probable and that after a few times through them began to scare Eli the most. He wasn't at looking forward to them, not with all the bugs the suit still showed. Other problems occurred in the resonating lens in the major camera it being stationed directly in the center of the helmet's face, with four support cameras on other locations on the head. The problem was completely human and Eli was training to not have to look at all the camera video but hover between ones that had actual movement in them.

Eli sat on a bench in the cool down room, a glorified name for the showers. He didn't move, staying motionless looking very statuesque as he just stared at the bottom of his locker. This was after one of his most intense sessions yet, they were simulating a battle in a populated area, which was more likely to happen than in a quarry somewhere else. The suit was still hissing as the coolants were working there way slowly to cool the overheated units. The suit looked like a mutant; a faceless doll that was being ran through the most horrible side of human nature. Eli finally grew tired and pressed the release switch on the helmet. The suit let out a most horrible arrayments of moans as jets of steam poured out of all the joints. He lifted the helmet up and slowly rolled his head around. The suit testing truly sucked any ounce of energy he had right out. He slumped forward, a tad bit dizzy falling forward his face hitting the locker in front of him. After a few silent moments he lifted his head and began to stand, his legs ached so much, crying to him to return them to rest. He opened the locker and all along the frame of the door were pictures, snapshot Polaroid's that were sent to him from the others at the Institute that attended what was once his home so many years ago. He didn't know the people in the pictures personally but they had now become a piece of his extended family. He slowly and with a groan undid the multiple layers that held the suit together and slowly slid it off. When it fell a wave of relief washed over him it was coupled with the subtle waves of cold that followed, but they were relieving waves. He pulled off his sweat soaked shirt and threw it into his locker. He ran his hand over his sweaty hair and stretched his arms towards the ceiling, his legs shook and his arms quivered letting a long sigh.

After Eli had showered and dressed he walked out and towards the bases common room. He walked over to the vending machine and purchased a simple bottle of water. He figured he lost alot during the session today so he might as well try to regain some of it. As he turned and finished his little trek into the commons, everyone was gathered around the television set and at first he didn't really notice or care but he walked up just the same to see what was the going on. He began to hear the broadcast. "To this amateur who managed to take these brutal images for us. The famed super team Rescue 5's as they are very bloody defeated. If you at home have children watching you may want to ask them to leave the room." Eli was immediately brought back to attention as he overheard this, he pushed his way through the crowd. He finally came in view of the television and caught some tiny tidbits as he saw Murasaka already bloody being impaled by something's monstrous arm. Then his eyes began to focus on the monster the fuzzy home video quality of the recording began to irritate him to no end. He suddenly began to feel that this was somehow connected to the creature he had once spoken to on that night one year ago.

A sudden depression began to sink into his chest, his throat began to tighten feeling his eyes well up with the beginnings of tears his vision began to blur. "It's too much to bear." continued the broadcaster "Memorials for the fallen members will be..." Eli left and couldn't take hearing anymore. He walked across the base and right into Major Collins office. As he opened the door, Nate's chair was turned around facing the open window. The dwindling light of the day poured through the tilted blinds. Eli didn't even speak a word as the chair spun around.

"I can only guess why you're here... You just found out, huh?" said Nate. Eli nodded his head, his face pure grimace as he walked in closing the door hard behind him. He stood in front of the desk.

"Kierka, when the hell did he escape! I thought you guys had a hold on him?" said Eli through the cracks in his teeth.

"We thought that we did?" as he rested his face on his clutched hands "A strange thing happened a few days ago. Something that the higher ups don't want everyone to have knowledge about. But Kierka has not been in the holding unit you had seen him in... No, he was in a maximum security holding tank for about a year now. He's been in a high-security dead room, the kind to house powerful individuals like him. The scientists, under the UN direction they would fill the room with the most potent knockout gas, wait until he was out than do whatever experiments they wanted on him while he was knocked out. Anyways, a couple nights ago a large amount of... unique energy flowed into that room... Even our analysts can't figure out what the hell it was and as suddenly as it had appeared it vanished, along with our dear prince. The image recovered from camera's in the room show..."

"Show what?" asked Eli as he snatched the photograph from Nate's hands.

"Well, they show a unicorn? Oddly, enough. And we've had the very best people look at it... They all say the same thing. It is in fact a bright white Unicorn. We can only assumed but we believe it was apart of the Totemranger's."

"They were Daemon helpers." Nate shrugged his shoulders.

"We have no clue. Rescue 5 would on occasion receive assistance from them. They even rescued me on a rare occasion but we can only assume from that photo that they have changed their operations... We not only fight the Daemon, if need be we will have to also fight the Totemranger's".

"Well what are we..." Eli began to say as Nate slid a file with the words Class A, Top Secret, stamped on them. Eli picked the file up and opened it. He read a couple pages into it before he grew even angrier. Throwing it to the ground. "We cannot continuing the project! How can we? No, this isn't right... Did you see what happened to them. Did you see what happened to the team! We don't stand much of a chance! Especially if were fighting on..." Nate stood up in a flash and slammed his hands down on the table.

"You don't think I don't feel sorry about this. These are our orders! I plan on following them to the letter... because that's what Tabitha would have wanted. She wouldn't have sat here sulking. We launch an offensive in 1 week. Work double time on the project, because whether your ready or not we are sending that thing out into battle!" Eli decided against arguing his point. He knew it wouldn't do a single thing. He left Major Collins office and lost all respect for the man he had grown to look up to.


	8. Part 8 Release

**Part 8**

**Release; an angel appears all in black.**

"Eli, do you know what the Universe dreams about?" Eli turned and saw Britney standing or rather floating across from him in a vast endless sea of darkness. She was slightly older than the last time he had seen her, she now wore an odd looking outfit, a dark jumpsuit and to her side she held a helmet that had a strange symbol on the front of it.

"What?" asked Eli. With his comment she laughed, which he couldn't help but smile though he had no idea what she was talking about. She made the motion as if she was walking towards him. She stopped right in front of him, he noticed he was taller than her now. But she still held that same look in her eyes, the same as that night all those years ago in the institutes shower room. She smiled as she ran her hand down the arm, he could feel the scar on his arms pulsate as she stroked it. Their eyes met as she shyly looked down, then she brought her eyes up and now they held a look of pure malice. "If you don't know that then maybe you should not have asked the question!" As she ran her hand down his arm, ripping his shirtsleeve open and tearing the flesh of his arms open. She turned away her hands tight, balled into fist with a most intense of anger. As she turned around again she held a more familiar face, one in which she was smiling, looking happy again.

"Eli your so silly, you've asked me this question so many times before... Haven't you found an answer yet?" with a confused shake of his head. Britney turned and began to walk away. Eli started to run after her but his feet were stuck to the ground. He stretched his arms out as he called to her. She stopped and turned to show him her beautiful smile. "Did you think I would honestly leave you?" as she blew apart. The room flooding, filling with a deluge of crimson, he felt his legs seize up, his chest began to swell with fear and his heart raced tempting to beat right out of his chest.

Eli bolts awake and looks around seeing the familiar grey of the helicarrier. He looked down at his watch; it read 5:04 in the morning. A sickening feeling began to fill his stomach as he suddenly remembered what today was. The day Operation Gilgamesh went underway, in only a few hours, he looked down and saw that he was dressed in the white and black suit that he had grown a fond familiarity too. He shut his eyes again and tried to catch a few more moments of sleep.

He awoke again in what seemed like only a moment later. Hearing the blare of sirens as they go off, he stands and pulled on his helmet, a fizzle of pressure sounded as the helmet tightened around his head. The suit follows and began to go from loose fit to skin tight. He began to overhear a voice as it mutely sounded into his ear, merely a whisper but he quickly changed that as he adjusted the suits volume dial. "Cavanaugh, we are reaching the rendezvous point. Are you prepared, over." Eli clicked a button on the lip of his helmet.

"Cavanaugh here. Copy, I'm ready and prepared for departure. Over."

"Good, we'll be there in T-minus four minutes. Grab all the utility gear you'll need and head over to the launcher. Good luck, over." then another voice came over his helmet.

"Eli, I'll be waiting for you. Try to land close to my beacon." he realized that is was Major Collins speaking to him.

"Nate?" said Eli with much surprise. He could hear Nate laughing over the radio. This slightly eased the worry that was on his mind.

"I'll see you when you land. We'll try to meet up around Town Square, over." Eli stood and turned pulling a handle on the wall. A great portion of the wall slide out and revealed itself to be a large briefcase. He grabbed it and walked over to a large wall. A soldier gave him the thumbs up and Eli returned it and a second later, a great tremor shook the carrier and the wall began to fold down opening to the vast blue sky. Below them the city below looked like pure anarchy, explosions and smoked filled the sky as it poured up towards them. Eli closed his eyes for only a moment as he took a few steps back. Three breathes in and two out as he sprinted towards the edge, he held his breath as he leapt off the carrier.

If he could have felt it he would have be scared out of his mind, the earth was plummeting towards him at such an ever-increasing speed. But for some reason he wasn't scared, no, he then remembered that the suit administered a small dose of sedatives every few last minutes. When his adrenaline and other stress factors deemed it necessary, these were changes that were of course added just for his benefit? He doubted that. At least this is what the scientists reassured him of regardless. As he continued to fall, his thought suddenly went back to a picture that sat on his stand next to him in his room, it was the school's photo it had Britney and the Professor standing in the middle surrounded by all the people he might had never got the chance to meet yet. He thought about Britney and how it would be nice to smell her again. Then it happened, he hit the ground.

He opened his eyes, he didn't know if he was unconscious or not but as he looked around he saw the crater he now sat in, as he began to stand some debris fell from his shoulders. He had an overwhelming urge to scratch his nose, but knew better than to remove any piece of his gear at this stage. He was definitely in a battle zone now. Near the center of a park in the small city called Silent Meadows, off the Northwestern coast of America in State of Washington. That is where Kierka fled too? One year after Rescue 5 defeated him, he has the gall to return back to this kind of a place? Eli turns and sees the only other Rescue 5 member to survive 'Big Black' or Rescue 5's reserve Major Collins. In his own black and gold uniform, Eli walked out of the crater still carrying the dark grey briefcase. "Oy, Eli. See you landed exactly on point. That's our new gear in action! You fell at least 30,000 feet and not even a scratch to tell you otherwise." he patted him on the shoulder and if he hadn't watched him do so he wouldn't have felt it.

"This just tells you the ingenuity of modern science and will of men." said Eli. Just then, running across the park and through the trees as hundreds of pale white creatures began to surround them, their right hand had fingers that were as long and as sharp as the finest swords. Nate took his fighters stance as a pair of golden knuckles materialized over his fists. He ran forward and began to brawl with a large amount of the creatures. Eli's visor flashed and in the left corner began giving schematics about the beings in front of him.

"Serum? Foot-soldiers of the Daemon high council." he took a knee, putting the case down in front of him. He pressed the entry code and opened the case, inside was an assortment of various weapons; he pulled one up that looked like a gantlet with a blade coming out from one end. The visor flashed again. "Spirit is life that itself cuts into life." Eli looked down as the blade extends out and begins to vibrate and pulse with a faint nearly invisible glow. Inside Eli's helmet he smiled as rather haughty thoughts began to fill his mind.

He charged forward and swung gouging open a Serum, the creature turns and its black blood exploded out from the cut. Nate turns and slams another Serum into the ground he stands up and nods his head in approval. But his attention is taken back another Serum attacks him, he sends it back with load bang from his fists Eli watched as a bullet shell flew out from the top of the back hand, it knocked down a few others that were advancing forward. "Hey!" said Nate as Eli turns he feels the blade tremble in his hand. "Don't get all jittery, it's only just began!" as the Serum suddenly stop. Both men position themselves for anything. The Serum begin to part as a great cloven-footed man trotted his way out from the shadows of a great tree. He was enormous with a single, spiraling horn that protrudes from the center of its forehead. Eli doesn't wait for an invitation as he charges forward, he takes a swing and astonishingly enough he misses, he tries again but this time the great creature grabs him by the arm he is attacking with, lifting him with little effort he tosses him up in to the air.

But Nate doesn't wait as he rushed forward and plants both his fists into the monsters abdomen. Eleven gunshots go off and Nate stands dumbfounded as none drew blood. The creature threw him away as easily as one would a pester-some fly. Eli comes down and the great monster punches him like a baseball struck in the sweet spot of the bat. He flies through the air slamming into a tree. The monster laughs as the Serum encircle the boy. One grabs for him but he slices off it's arm, then impales it through the head and jumps to his feet. He runs cutting and gouging all the creatures he passes by as he cuts his way back towards the large monster. As he runs towards it, he ducks under its punch and swings his arm upward, he felt as the blade cut through the lower calf up to the knee. But the leg did not show sign nor did he even draw blood. In his moment of hesitation the monster grabbed him by the head and lifted him up, as Nate began to rise to his feet the monster sent unknown amounts of energy through Eli's body. He throws Eli, who has no control as he falls into Nate, as they both hit the ground his body suddenly seizes up. He could feel something forcing itself over him and that something was going horribly wrong as his arms and legs suddenly began to move on their own!

As much as he tried to fight he just couldn't move his own body. He felt in the center of his mind a familiar voice echo. _'You thought you could escape me! I am a Lord Prince; no mortal can disobey me... Not as long as I have control over Monokeros!'_ as he could see him walking past them and points towards Nate. Eli's body responds and began the most viscous and horrifying attack. Eli screamed into his microphone, tears ran down his face he called out to anyone that would hear him. He called for anyone, anyone to stop him. The suit moved with such great speed that the fight seemed as though it was in slow motion.

Nate did not stand a fleeting chance of survival. Pieces of his body fell to the ground his uniform blood soaked. Eli cried so very hard that his voice ran hoarse. Then Eli could no longer cry his voice gone, as Nate's helmet collapsed partially his open eyes terrified. Next the side of his helmet was gone, the blade did its job well and efficiently and in the next moments Eli saw yet another thing he had never seen before, a pair of eyes full of life suddenly fall empty, lifeless. Something snapped inside of Eli's mind and for the first time in his life he began to feel an all-consuming ire. _'Nate... I'm so sorry. I... I...'_

The Serum toyed with him as they lead him into the city. He was forced to watch as he murdered countless people, doubtlessly Mother's, Father's, Son's, Daughter's and children who could do nothing but be sliced apart by his vibrating sword. He stared at the images on his multiple screens as his body followed the next motion to pass it, the suit was much faster and stronger than any person so the time it took him to kill one, the cameras had spotted four more to chase after. All the while the monsters snickered and laughed at him while he attempted to call for help, but that did not work as he had no voice to call with. His attempts to stop fighting failed. He realized how truly powerless he was, and too fight this power that held him became more and more futile. Finally the game had ended the Serum must have finally grown bored with him as they began to attack him now. They could move out of the way of the suits clumsy attacks. The power was almost gone and it was slowing down. They lead him into an alleyway and finished beating him, they sent him flying into a dumpster, they took turns kicking his now limp body. Next, he was thrown tumbling over a couple garbage cans as finally he came to rest on the paved ground. Eli could do nothing but lay there as his body completely drained now of all its reserve energy, the suit had gone it's limit, it could go no further without reenergizing. A shot of pain rose up his spinal column.

His eyes did not see the alleyway in which he lay in, no now he was in a vast sea of stars suspended he was aimlessly being pulled towards something. As he drifted he witnessed as new stars were being born and he also watched as old ones gave out their final super nova burst before they began to collapse into themselves. He eyes are then drawn to a large circular tablet that appears before him now, with Greek letters, a complex diagram is shown to him. He with almost no sense left to comprehend the information before him. Along the tablet he noticed symbols he had seen before, but at the moment his mind couldn't tell what they meant or why he remembered them so fondly. Though one symbol began to shine. It appeared to be a roman numeral for two, an image of two children was below it, also becoming illuminated. His eyes began to burn and his lungs ached swelling with an unknown matter, which was thicker than air but thinner than water or a fluid combination of the two. Then, as if it was ignited somehow an enormous amount of energy surged through and around him. Burning ancient texts into his being ingraining them to his memory, though he had no awareness to the information's meanings or the message they were trying to give him. He felt like he was becoming a bomb that was about the explode! Then a bright white light enveloped him and his thoughts once again turned to a girl that was too far away from wherever he was now.

"Hey... Hey, Are you alright?" as Eli's eyes opened to an unfamiliar image. He was back in the alleyway, his body lay now propped up against a wall and his energy was still completely drained. He looked up and before him knelt what appeared to be a masculine figure, at least from the voice it appeared to be that. Dressed in an all black jumpsuit, wearing a helmet that resembled a killer whale slightly. Suddenly the facemask lifted, opening up and it indeed was a man, a young man at that, maybe in his early 20's, with a small chunk of dark golden hair falling over one of his eyes, which were a deep aquamarine color. "Yeah, you're gonna be just fine." As he patted Eli on the shoulder, he set a mangled version of his helmet down resting it next to him.

"Alex!" as the dark dressed man turned and stood to greet another figure who was jogging up to him, this one was dressed in a red outfit, his helmet resembled that of an eagles head. "Kierka, was definitely here. Damn it!" as the man in red turns and kicks a trashcan. His kick sends it rolling spilling all it's contents onto the ground.

"Van, calm down. We need to find out why and how he came back." then they both turned as Eli tried to move.

"I... I know..." Eli sputtered, his voice barely audible. The man in black knelt down and looked inquisitively at him. "You guys... you are Totemranger's aren't you?" they both nodded their heads. "Rescue... 5... they received orders to bring Kierka back with them... I was... I was at the facility where he was being held for a while, they... the scientists did numerous experiments on him... he claims he has control... Over of something or someone called Monokeros?" the one in red seemed to become more infuriated as he punched the dumpster.

"Those stupid bastards! I knew we shouldn't have trusted them, they kept him alive! They're the reason we have to deal with him again and to add insult to injury he has the Totem of Purity."

"What does... that mean?" asked Eli as he swallowed hard. Red looked down and without being able to see his face, he could tell that this person didn't appreciate his question.

"The Totem of Purity, that means, Kierka's in a state of near god-like stature. Monokeros grants whomever comes in contact with, to regenerate nearly any wound however fatal and grants that same person immunity from harm so long as they are still combined together." Eli mouth fell partial open. The one in black stood and looked puzzled. "But why would a Totem join up with a Daemon?" said the one in Red.

"Remember, Kierka's not only a Daemon he's also half-human. So it's possible that maybe that part of him, the part that is human also houses some shamanic powers. You never know, back then there were quite a few more shaman." said Alex.

"So, really we're dealing with another Cain then?" said Van. Then two others appeared one in a light Blue uniform and another in Yellow. The one in black seemed to ease up a little as he saw them.

"What did you guys find out?" said Alex. The one in blue shrugged her shoulders as she began to speak.

"Well, there sure are alot of Serum. They are literally crawling all over the place. They must not want to mess with us though, cause they're avoiding any sight of us like the plague." then the big guy in Yellow stepped forward.

"But no sign of ass-face yet? What did you guys find out?" both the black and red guys looked like neither wanted to break the news to the others. Finally the red one couldn't take the silence and spoke out.

"Ok, we just found out that old Kirky's got himself a totem. But wait, it gets much better, not only does he have a totem. But he has control over Monokeros!" as Van said this both of the other two were shocked.

"What?! But... but that totem..." the big guy stumbled through his own words. The other two nodded their heads in solemnly. "That's how he had the upper-hand against the Rescuers, he was using Mono's regenerative powers. That underhanded bastard!" as the big guy punched the wall he was standing by.

"Cool it, Lyle." then all four of them turned their gazes upward. Eli could feel his eyes beginning to feel very heavy he watched as the beautiful blue sky began to slowly turn a sickly grey.

"We have to hurry and end this. Kierka couldn't stop so we'll have to stop him ourselves. We're Shaman of the Earth!" as everyone gave a hearty hurrah from Alex's speech. The last thing he remembers he was trying to ask another question and his vision faded in and out as he couldn't tell if he was even making sense as he spoke, just then he passed out and everything after that went black. Though he began to think to himself. _'Will I even awaken to this same sky again? Will Britney be in the world that I awaken too? I sure hope that this isn't the end. That would... really... suck.'_


	9. Part 9 A playful bought of words

**Part 9**

**A playful bought of words prologues nearing its end.**

Eli awoke in a hospital it has now been a few weeks later. He thought it was funny, in an ironic sort of way that the ones that probably saved him were the true unsung heroes of this planet. The same people, he thought earlier were a silly worthless imitation. They were the originals; it was Rescue 5 who were trying to be like them. His eyes groggy looked around the room he gathered an air of familiarity, though there were so many other places he could remember that looked identical to this, with there grey walls and dark grey tiling on the floor. For some reason his mind stayed with the image of the Totemranger, one in particular the black one, feelings he hadn't had a need for began to creep up into his thoughts. He felt pity and a multitude of sorrow that one only should need to register when one mourns a dear friend. The face he had seen, with the warm eyes, they were the kind one would imagine a father having. He felt a need to see him again for reasons he could not comprehend at the moment.

Then, the door to his hospital room and his heart began to beat faster, a blonde haired girl opened the door she was pulling a cart into the room backwardly. Instantly the thought crossed his mind that this couldn't be whom he wanted it to be, it was an illusion of his desires and he would undoubtedly awaken at any moment to realize it was a phantom of his dreams. Yet as the blonde girl turned her face, for a moment he caught a glimpse of her frame. It was becoming truer that he wasn't just wishing for something, that it was in fact the truth. The person had the same facial features that he had committed to memory, so long ago. As the girl finished turning she was caught off guard by his worried eyes, they looked surprised at one another as his stare changed as they both realized whom the other was and his began to smile again. She without a prompt of words or gestures walked hurriedly to the bed and without much regard for his current health fell on to him and the two embraced each other in a hug that enveloped both of them into it. Her legs collapsed in a fit of joy as she rested next to him on the bed. Without even saying a word they told each other everything that they needed to and without prompt Eli picked her face up he gently pressed his lips to hers. This was what he had wanted to do for so long. His world was now complete and he would never dare wish to change it ever again.

"But the world does not have time enough for the spring of love to bloom? Humanity has assumed the role of the polluted stream, they've raped the Earth of her pride and majesty and it too lay a chunk of fruit; rotten down to its core. If you love those around you then shall you make a sacrifice? Give your life and go under... Make way for we who are and shall become what you call the Ubermenschen." as both turn to see a funny thing. A tall and slender man with a waistcoat on, a golden chain hung from his left hand pocket. He was white as the first day of winter and his eyes a crimson rose shade of pink. Two large bellows of ears shot out the top of his head with a black dot that sat in the middle of his face where a nose might be. He smiled mischievously as he watched the two. Britney moved from Eli's arms and Eli struggled to sit up right.

"Who are you and how did you get in this room?" asked Britney. The man vanished from her sight and as she turned back to look at Eli. He was standing next to him stroking his hair, like one stroke's a pup. Eli swatted at the man as he vanished again, next appearing in an armchair in the corner of the room.

"You may call me him, or that one. But I prefer Mr. Rabbit if you would. I do appreciate proper names. I am Whiting Rabbit and I am only an observer of the dimensions and lengths of time. I hope I'll get the chance to see you both again..." he turns and looks right at Eli, a smug debonair about him. "Get better Elijah... You've promises to keep and you'll need your strength for the future that you might play a part in shaping. Enjoy the pleasures of the moment; but do not let it go to either of your heads and do not think I'll aid you further in anyway, nay says I. I merely am giving the players of this grand chess game a simple beginners handicap." with a twinkle in his eyes the Rabbit pulled out his watch. At that moment Eli's head flew back slamming against the bed's frame, his body shaking violently. He looked over and saw that Britney was going through the same pain. Her legs twitched violently as she held her own head, she screamed out for it to stop but from the corner of his eye a smile grew cross the rabbit's petite lips. Then the door to his room opened again as two doctors and a gaggle of nurses entered the room, they were thrown out just as fast as they had entered by what appeared to be the rabbits will alone. He closed the door and locked it, turning he disappeared, reappearing next to the bed. He watched Eli as he tried to calm his body's tremors with little to no success.

"Keep that fighting spirit. You will have to endure so many tragedies, far more than her or anyone else that you meet, but it will be for the future you will try and shape. So, take care fair Elijah protect the ones you love above all other and most of all. That will add an edge to your dull sword, possibly?" as he once again vanished from sight. At once the tremors ceased both quivering with fear like branches in a terrible wind. Eli looked down at Britney and he wanted to imagine this did not just happen, that there would be no more fighting, but if that persons words were true then he must fight. To protect the ones he cares about and to possibly shape the future. He looked down at the crumpled up business card that he had been holding, he tried to unfold it though there was nothing on either side.

Finally the door blew open as the doctors and nurses entered the room only to find the too teens fast asleep in each other's arms. Professor Carroll and Doug walked into the room. They smiled to one another as everyone else exited the room quietly. Doug leaned over and tapped the Professor on the shoulder. As she looked over he smiled. "Do you think Ice cold Eli has finally began to have a heart." Amelia smiled and shrugged her shoulders, she turned and left the room, and Doug right behind they closed the door. As they walked down the hallway back towards her office.

"I think he always had a heart... It just took Britney for him to realize how much he was missing out on by not using it. Things will be different now. I think after the U.E.D.F's screw up like this, we won't have to worry about him getting into trouble, as much." they both shared a laugh as Doug nonchalantly grabbed Amelia's hand. They continued down the hall in blissful silence.

{**Ending theme:** _Queen "I Want To Break Free"_ from their Album: [**The Works**]}


End file.
